Arizona State University is investigating the sudden collapse of a hockey player during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20, the first day of fall semester classes, an incident that unfolded under soaring temperatures in the Phoenix metro area.
A Day of Heat and Uncertainty
Matthew Mayich, a 21‑year‑old sophomore defenseman, was found unresponsive at the university’s Joe Selleh Track, where Tempe Fire Medical Rescue crews initially classified the incident as a heat‑related illness before transporting him to a hospital in a coma.
Mayich, a native of Stoney Creek, Ontario, transferred to ASU from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, and had been selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues.
A virtual prayer service organized by the Canadian‑Croatian Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 25 brought together supporters from Ontario and beyond, with Deacon Kevin Barron leading the ceremony in hopes of rallying community support for his recovery.
Mayich’s family has asked for privacy while the university reviews the circumstances surrounding the workout, a request that underscores the delicate balance between public concern and personal dignity in moments of crisis.