In a 26-page letter through an attorney, seven anonymous Sun Devils, fearing retaliation from Powers, wrote to Arizona State University president Michael Crow to place their head and assistant coaches on leave, per The Athletic.These players are disputing the university’s initial review of the Aug.20 workout that led sophomore Matthew Mayich to collapse.
Within the review’s findings were that Mayich didn’t receive proper hydration and had inadequate medical care after collapsing.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGEArizona State head coach Greg Powers sits on the bench during a game against Denver at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb.7, 2025.
(Getty Images)"The head coach and his assistant coaches were all on the field on August 20, all remain in their positions, and together they decide our playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status," the players wrote in the letter."No one has separate us from them since that morning."We should not have to choose between telling the truth about August 20 and keeping what we have worked our whole lives for."ARIZONA STATE HOCKEY PLAYER, BLUES DRAFT PICK HOSPITALIZED AFTER COLLAPSING DURING TRAININGThe players added that the "grueling" workout was run by an ex-U.S.
Army Green Beret that day, but while an Arizona State review said players were given a water break about 20 minutes into the workout, the players wrote otherwise.They claim that the water break was around 40 minutes into the 75-minute activity, but it was just a few seconds.The players added that only about eight players actually drank water because they were the first to finish a bear crawl drill beforehand."The first of us to finish had a few seconds at the bottles before being ordered back while others, including Matthew, were still crawling," the players’ letter read.
"This was the only water break."The players also wrote that the ex-Green Beret admitted forgetting they needed a water break, but added he didn’t drink water during combat...