TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) —A member of the Arizona State University hockey staff remains hospitalized after collapsing final week throughout an outdoor workout, elevating questions in regards to the circumstances surrounding the medical emergency and why the student-athlete was exercising in excessive heat.
The athlete has been recognized as Matthew Mayich, a sophomore defenseman from Ontario, Canada.
The college confirmed the workout passed off Thursday morning. While the precise time remains unclear, officers famous it didn’t happen throughout the hottest a part of the day.
The incident serves as a stark warning in regards to the risks of bodily exertion in excessive temperatures, no matter a person’s bodily health.
Students and athletes returned to campus final week for the 2026-27 college yr. Many arrived from close by and have been already conscious of the Arizona heat, whereas others from farther away are rapidly studying how harmful the native climate could be.
Also final week, a First Alert climate warning was in impact for the Phoenix space as temperatures climbed into harmful triple digits.
It remains unclear whether or not the train was an formally sanctioned college apply, an off-the-cuff staff gathering, or if Mayich was figuring out on his personal.
Mayich was rushed to a neighborhood hospital, the place he continues to struggle for his life.
Mayich, who’s new to the Phoenix space, is carrying No. 27 in his first season with the Sun Devils. He was chosen by the St. Louis Blues within the 2023 NHL draft.
On Tuesday, the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce held a candlelight vigil for Mayich, posting on Facebook asking for prayers and help for the sophomore and his household.
Dr. Frank LoVecchio, an emergency doctor and professor at ASU, emphasised the intense issue and hazard of coaching in such situations.
“It’s very, very hard to train in this heat,” LoVecchio stated. “I don’t know if anyone’s going to be able to exercise really, really hard for a long time in the middle of the heat in Arizona.”
LoVecchio famous that even elite, extremely conditioned athletes similar to Mayich will wrestle when pushed in excessive temperatures.
“And something that we say, it doesn’t take long to burn brain cells and your temperature could rise very, very quickly,” LoVecchio stated. “The average person, even athletes, can’t make it in that heat. And when I say can’t make it, it’s very, very unlikely that they can make it without needing some assistance. And God forbid, they don’t die or have permanent brain damage.”
Monsoon storms introduced rain and gusty winds to the Phoenix space on Wednesday evening, dropping temperatures in a single day. As a end result, Thursday morning was cooler than earlier days, although nonetheless probably harmful for intense outdoor coaching.
Arizona State University is at the moment reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout.
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