Arizona State asks former state chief justice to lead independent review of hockey player's collapse

Arizona State has commissioned a former Arizona Supreme Court chief justice, Scott Bales, to conduct an independent investigation into the collapse of hockey player Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout in August. Bales will review the university's findings, data supplied by Mayich's family's legal team, as well as legal representatives for the hockey team, team members, and law enforcement.

The 21-year-old Mayich suffered from exertional heat stroke during a workout on the first day of the NCAA's permitted activities, leading to brain oxygen deprivation and an uncertain recovery prognosis, according to family attorney Rob Carey.

ASU senior vice president of educational outreach and student services, James Rund, has assigned Bales with making recommendations on multiple subjects related to outdoor athletic activities, including planning, approval, staffing, policies, and procedures. He will also examine the utilization of outside consultants in strength and conditioning practices.

Bales, who served as the court's chief justice from 2005 to 2019, is expected to complete his review by early December. The Mayich family expressed satisfaction with the university's decision to bring in Bales but was dissatisfied with the scope of his review. They requested that he should investigate why the workout was permitted and why it was not halted when players displayed visible distress with no water or rest. Additionally, they seek information on which school, conference, and NCAA rules were breached.

The Mayich family emphasized the necessity of an inquiry into what went wrong during that game and who is accountable, pointing to the 2018 Maryland football player Jordan McNair's death during a workout. The family called for Bales to report to the Arizona Board of Regents instead of the university's review committee, which they believe has overlooked critical aspects.

They suggested that ASU should hire specialized firms to reconstruct exertional heat stroke cases, evaluate emergency preparedness, and investigate institutional and personnel failures.