ASU hockey coach is put on leave; hospitalized player is unlikely to recover, family attorney says
Arizona State University announced Wednesday it has put hockey coach Greg Powers on leave following the collapse of player Matthew Mayich during a summer team workout.Mayich, 21, remains on life support and is unlikely to recover, according to family attorney Rob Carey.In response to the announcement, Carey said in an interview with NBC Nightly News that the family has said “since day one” that the entire coaching staff needed to be put on administrative leave.
ASU has left in place another assistant coach who is good friends with the head coach “and that needs to change,” the attorney said.“They did nothing right, literally nothing,” Carey said of the ASU coaching staff during the workout.
“And as a result (of) what should have been a very preventable workout problem, heatstroke, a man is on life support and unlikely to come off of it,” he said.“He’s incapacitated, and there’s almost no chance of recovery.
But the family’s very devout, and they want to give their son a chance for a miracle,” Carey said.ASU did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News on the family’s allegations and demands for an independent investigation.
But in its announcement on Powers’ leave, ASU Athletics Director Graham Rossini stated that the school’s “focus continues to be on Matthew and his family” and all student-athletes, to make sure they have “the support they need during this time and as the season begins.” “We have continued to collect as much information as possible.After thorough and careful deliberation, I believe this is the best move to provide stability for the hockey program,” Rossini said.
Assistant Coach Mike Corbett will be leading the team this weekend for the season opener and an interim head coach would be named soon, according to the statement.Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout on Aug.
20.He suffered extreme heatstroke and has been hospitalized since his collapse.
Mayich’s parents, ...