ASU Police Launch Investigation Into Matthew Mayich’s Collapse

Matthew Mayich went to practice on the morning of August 20, 2026. He was joining his new teammates for an outdoor workout. Mayich was preparing for his first season with the Sun Devils after transferring from Clarkson University.

By almost any standard, it was already a hot morning in Tempe. At 7:51 a.m., the temperature recorded at Phoenix Sky Harbor was 87 degrees with 50 percent humidity. An hour later, it had climbed to 89 degrees with 47 percent humidity (Iowa Environmental Mesonet, 2026).

Sometime during that stretch, Mayich collapsed.

At approximately 8:31 a.m., Tempe Fire Medical Rescue was called to the Arizona State University campus for what was initially reported as a heat-related illness. About 10 minutes later, a first responder asked a nearby hospital emergency room to prepare for a patient experiencing a “serious heat emergency” (The Athletic, 2026).

Nearly two weeks later, Mayich remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Since his collapse, accounts of what happened during that workout have differed. His family’s attorneys have raised questions about the intensity of the session, access to water and the circumstances surrounding his collapse. An attorney representing the instructor involved in the workout has disputed parts of that account. Arizona State University is now conducting an internal review, while the Arizona State University Police Department has opened a separate law-enforcement investigation of its own.

There is a lot that has been reported about what happened that morning. There is also a lot we still do not know.

What We Know: A Police Investigation Is Underway

The Arizona State University Police Department is a law-enforcement agency serving the university, meaning its investigation is distinct from the internal review being conducted by Arizona State. The two processes have different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Two people familiar with the investigation told The Athletic that police are looking into the circumstances surrounding Mayich’s collapse. One source said investigators are assessing whether any criminal acts occurred, while another said police may have begun reaching out to players. Arizona State has said it is standard practice for campus police to investigate serious injuries that occur on campus (The Athletic, 2026).

Rob Carey, an attorney representing the Mayich family, called the police investigation “a step in the right direction,” but said the family wants evidence collected and preserved, witnesses interviewed separately and protected from retaliation, and investigators to have independent access to information needed to determine what happened. He also called for transparency surrounding both the process and its eventual findings (The Athletic, 2026).

The university is separately reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout. ASU Athletic Director Graham Rossini has previously made a distinction between the university conducting a “review” rather than an investigation (Brodie, 2026).

It is important to note that neither process has been completed, and no charges have been filed.

What We Know About the Workout

Arizona State has confirmed that the workout was a team event with coaches and training staff present, along with a third party who had previously worked with the hockey program.

Attorneys representing Mayich’s family have described the workout as physically demanding and raised questions about the conditions under which players were training. Carey said players had limited opportunities for rest and water during a workout that lasted more than an hour (Sportsnet, 2026).

Additional details emerged when Arizona’s Family spoke with family attorney Leonard Aragon. Aragon described a station-style workout conducted with temperatures nearing 90 degrees and humidity around 50 percent. Aragon alleged that players who failed to complete portions of the workout within a certain amount of time could not drink water (Walker, 2026). Arizona State did not respond to further questions about this allegation.

Aragon said much of the information he had gathered came from Mayich’s teammates. He said those players were afraid to speak publicly about what occurred because of concerns about potential repercussions (Walker, 2026).

What Is Disputed

Not everyone involved agrees with the family’s description of what happened that morning.

Buddy Rake, the attorney representing the instructor involved in the workout, disputed the allegations in comments to Arizona’s Family. Rake said there were no timed events and that water and sports drinks were readily available (Walker, 2026).

Rake also disputed the characterization of the session as a military workout, saying it was not difficult. He told Arizona’s Family, however, that his client was not present when Mayich collapsed (Walker, 2026).

Those accounts leave significant differences between what Mayich’s representatives say they have learned about the workout and what the instructor’s attorney says occurred.

What We Know About Mayich’s Health Before the Workout

Aragon also indicated that Mayich had completed and passed the physical required by the university before participating in practices or games. He described Mayich as a healthy athlete with no known pre-existing conditions or medications that would have affected his tolerance to heat (Walker, 2026).

Mayich had also only recently arrived in Arizona after transferring to the Sun Devils. Aragon said he had been in the state for approximately five days before the workout occurred (Walker, 2026).

Family Calls for Independent Investigation

The Mayich family wants an outside entity to conduct an independent investigation into the events surrounding the workout. They also want players to speak openly about what happened without fear of retaliation from members of the coaching staff (Walker, 2026).

Carey previously called for an independent investigation and asked Arizona State to place members of the coaching staff on administrative leave while investigators examine the circumstances surrounding Mayich’s collapse (Wodon, 2026).

The family’s requests extend beyond determining what happened during the workout. They are seeking preservation of evidence, independent access to information and an environment in which witnesses can speak about what they saw without fear of repercussions.

Mayich Remains Hospitalized

Carey has said Mayich suffered exertional heat stroke that caused a lack of oxygen to his brain. He has also said there were no other contributing conditions and clarified that Mayich is not in an induced coma (The Athletic, 2026).

Carey said doctors told the family that Mayich’s neurological injuries were irreversible and that he was highly unlikely to recover. Aragon similarly described Mayich’s prognosis in dire terms, saying, “He is in the most critical of conditions, and the prognosis is not good” (Sportsnet, 2026; Walker, 2026).

The medical information currently available publicly has come through attorneys representing Mayich and his family rather than independently released medical records.