Arizona State University has hired a retired state Supreme Court justice to conduct an independent review of a near-fatal Aug. 20 workout that left a hockey player on life support.
University officials announced the move Oct. 2, just hours before the Sun Devils team was take to the ice in its season opener without defenseman Matthew Mayich.
"ASU is retaining former Supreme Court of Arizona Chief Justice Scott Bales to lead an independent review of the facts that have been identified by the university, attorneys for the Mayich family, attorneys for members of the ASU hockey team, law enforcement agencies, and others as appropriate," ASU Senior Vice President James Rund said in a statement.
The decision came 43 days after Mayich's collapse during
an outdoor team workout led by an ex-Green Beret and amid repeated demands from Mayich's family and several hockey players for the university to bring in an outside investigator. They have accused university administrators of "whitewashing" what happened before, during and after the workout.
Bales will is expected to make specific recommendations on the use of outside coaching contractors and emergency outdoor response protocols, both of which have come under scrutiny since Mayich's collapse on the first day of class.
Rund said Bales will look at:
- Planning and approval of outdoor athletic activities, including strength and conditioning activities, practices and competitions.
- Staffing, policies and procedures for outdoor athletic activities, including adjustments necessary to address changing conditions or adverse reactions.
- Preparation for and response to adverse events or reactions occurring during outdoor athletic activities.
- Use of outside consultants in the planning and delivery of strength and conditioning and practice activities.
Calls for accountability led state lawmakers on Sept. 28 to petition the Arizona Board of Regents for a third-party investigation. U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, both Democrats from Arizona, echoed the need for an independent investigation Sept. 30, calling the circumstances of the workout disturbing and saying Mayich's family deserved answers.
The university put head hockey coach Greg Powers on administrative leave Sept. 30.
Mayich, 21, a sophomore from Stoney Creek, Ontario, was in his first year at ASU. He was part of a 2026 transfer portal class that ranked first in the country. He appeared in 34 games, tallying seven goals and eight assists, in his freshman season at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York.
He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues of the NHL in 2023. Drafted players retain their college status while NHL teams hold their exclusive signing rights.
Mayich remains on life support at Barrow Neurological Institute. The family lawyer says he has no chance for recovery.
(This is a developing story. Return to azcentral.com for updates.)
Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X @robertanglen.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU hires retired judge to conduct review of hockey practice
