TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State University has launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding an outdoor workout that resulted in the hospitalization of men’s ice hockey player Matthew Mayich. The defenseman, a St. Louis Blues draft pick and recent transfer to the Sun Devils program, remains under medical care six days after the incident.
Incident Timeline and Conditions
The collapse occurred last Thursday, which coincided with the first official day of the fall semester at the Tempe campus. According to reports from Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, emergency personnel were dispatched to the university’s track and field facility at approximately 8:30 a.m. Paramedics initially characterized the medical emergency as a “heat-related illness.” Weather data from the National Weather Service indicated that temperatures in the area had already reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) by the time of the morning workout, with daily highs later climbing to 104 degrees.
University Oversight and Investigative Scope
University officials have confirmed that a review of the workout’s circumstances is underway. While the institution has maintained strict privacy regarding the specifics of the player’s health, citing federal laws, they have acknowledged the necessity of examining the protocols in place during the training session. A critical point of the investigation is determining whether the session was an officially sanctioned team activity or an independent workout, as the school has not yet clarified the nature of the training.
Reports from the Arizona Republic have suggested the possibility of a cardiac event, though the university has not publicly confirmed specific clinical details. The incident has drawn significant attention to the safety of collegiate athletes training in extreme heat, particularly in the Phoenix metropolitan area where high-temperature protocols are a standard focus of athletic department oversight.
Support from the St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues, who selected Mayich in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, have expressed their support for the player and his family. Doug Armstrong, the Blues’ president of hockey operations, stated that the organization is receiving regular updates from Mayich’s agent. Mayich, a native of Stoney Creek, Ontario, previously played four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League and spent the last season at Clarkson University before transferring to Arizona State for the 2026-27 season.