Hockey coach Greg Powers will be paid more than $1.3 million to walk away from Arizona State University after a near-fatal workout put one of his players on life support.
In addition to 75% of his remaining contract, Powers will receive $85,000 in bonuses the university said he earned but had not yet received, according to fianacial records obtained by The Arizona Republic.
Powers will be paid out over three years. He will receive $531,923.08 now, $398,942.31 in August 2027 and $398,942.31 in August 2028, which is 75% of his full salary of $1,773,076.92, records provided by ASU show.
The university announced Oct. 15 that it had agreedbuy out Powers' contract as part of a mutual agreement to part ways. But it did not provide specifics about his
full payout.
His last day as head hockey coach was Oct. 16. The university hired Colorado Avalanche assistant Dave Hakstol as the Sun Devils' new head coach.
ASU announced Powers' departure almost two months after defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed Aug. 20 during an outdoor military-style exercise led by an ex-Green Beret on the first day of class. Mayich family attorney Robert Carey said the 21-year-old has no chance of recovery.
Powers was put on administrative leave on Sept. 30 about two weeks after several players accused the university of hiding the truth about events surrounding the workout. The university also sidelined an assistant coach and transferred the team's athletic trainer to another sport.
ASU spokesperson Nikki Ripley laid out the financial terms of Powers' separation agreement in an Oct. 17 email to The Republic. She provided his most recent contract, which was signed in 2022, updated in 2025 and good through 2030. His base pay was $250,000, with an additional $200,000 annually.
Powers will receive an academic bonus of $35,000 and a retention bonus of $50,000, according to the agreement signed Oct. 14. He will be paid out for 176 hours of accrued leave.
“You will reasonably cooperate with university and its counsel in connection with actual or potential legal proceedings, reviews or investigations, and administrative proceedings relating to matters that occurred during your employment,” the agreement said in part.
It went on to say Powers will participate in interviews and meetings, provide documents and records, provide truthful information, assist in preparing factual statements and appear for depositions, hearings, arbitrations, trials or other proceedings.
The agreement also requires Powers to preserve relevant evidence. According to a letter sent to ASU by an attorney representing Mayich’s family, Powers may have replaced his cell phone since the incident.
The phone could contain videos, photos, text messages and communication among coaching staff that ASU was legally obligated to preserve, according to an Oct. 3 letter to the university from the player's family lawyer.
Powers had led the team since 2010, when the Sun Devils played in the American College Hockey Association. The team moved to NCAA competition in 2015.
'Cruelty and incompetency': Players come forward
Seven ASU hockey players who participated in the Aug. 20 workout said the narrative of events put out by coaches, staff and administrators did not reflect "the cruelty and incompetency" of what happened before, during and after MayPich's collapse.
The players, who came forward anonymously through an attorney, said water was used as a reward and breaks were denied to teammates who couldn't keep up. They said Mayich received no water and showed signs of distress that coaches and the trainer ignored. They alleged the staff left Mayich lying on the ground while they treated him with water from a hose and wet towels.
Players said after Mayich collapsed, Powers minimized his condition and claimed he would be fine. They said he described Mayich as having “just a little heat stroke” and “heat exhaustion.” He told them he had “seen this a million times” and that Mayich “just needs an IV.”
The players and Mayich's family have repeatedly called on the university to place the entire coaching staff on leave and to turn over an investigation of what happened to an outside law enforcement agency.
After the players spoke up, state and federal lawmakers called for an independent review of the workout. Arizona State University hired Scott Bales, a former state Supreme Court chief justice, to conduct an independent review. University officials announced the move Oct. 2, just hours before the Sun Devils team was set to take to the ice in its season opener.
Workout could have violated ASU policies on heat, contractors
An ongoing investigation by The Republic found multiple potential policy violations connected to the workout and Mayich's collapse.
The Republic found Tim Ziesel, the ex-Green Beret, did not go through the required vetting process or sign standard forms before starting drills. He was invited by Powers to lead the team based on a meeting with coaches and a handshake agreement.
The Republic also found ASU did not appear to follow its own rules designed to protect students from exertional heat illness. The university didn't follow its emergency guidelines after Mayich collapsed on the field, and he hadn't gone through the standard heat-acclimation period for athletes prior to the workout.
Powers issued a statement after his separation was made public calling on "strength and healing" for Mayich and his family. He pledged support to the new coaching staff.
"It is my hope that everyone will continue to support Sun Devil Hockey with the same passion and vigor that we all have to this point," Powers said in the statement.
Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X @robertanglen.
Corina Vanek covers development for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X @CorinaVanek.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former ASU hockey coach to get more than $1.3M in payouts | Exclusive
