Community rallies for Matthew Mayich at ASU hockey home opener
ASU hockey fans filled Mullett Arena for the team's Oct. 9 home opener to show community support for player Matthew Mayich following his workout collapse back in August.
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State hockey was back on the ice Friday, Oct. 9, for the team’s home opener of the new season. It also marked the first home game since one of the Sun Devils, Matthew Mayich, collapsed during an outdoor summer workout.
ASU students who showed up to the game say they love supporting the team.
What they're saying:
"I try to go to as many games as I can because it’s the best hockey experience I can get here in Arizona," one fan said.
"I just love the atmosphere of hockey," an ASU senior shared.
"I like all the chants and just like all the energy that’s at hockey games. It’s kind of unmatched," another ASU senior noted.
"I mean I’ve been playing hockey for the past, like, decade, myself, and obviously they’re top tier athletes," another spectator added.
‘Everyone was shocked by it’
Seven anonymous ASU hockey players push back against a university report detailing Matthew Mayich's collapse on Aug. 20 during an outdoor workout.
Mayich was on the minds of fans and fellow Sun Devils during Friday’s home opener. Mayich collapsed at an August workout and remains in a coma.
Thousands of yellow pins with Mayich’s initials and jersey number featured on them were handed out at the doors Friday night.
The incident is hitting students on ASU’s campus.
"It’s just sad. Everyone was shocked by it," a student said.
"It’s pretty disappointing. I mean he’s a fellow student and seeing anyone in a coma is pretty sad," another student added.
Inside Mullett Arena, fans expressed similar sentiments.
"It’s tragic what happened," an ASU junior said.
"It’s really sad what happened to him, so it’s nice to see everyone out here supporting him," an ASU freshman shared.
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The backstory:
The incident involving Mayich has been under scrutiny for several weeks. A handful of other ASU hockey players penned a letter to the university saying the August workout led by a former Green Beret was rigorous, and water access was limited.
The temperatures that day reached the mid-80s with humidity levels around 50%.
One club hockey player on campus says he wants to see action taken to prevent this from happening again.
"I mean we’re in Arizona, it’s pretty hot here year-round, so I think as a hockey player myself, I think indoor workouts are the same as outdoor workouts, they should’ve been kept inside," the student said.
Meanwhile, at Friday’s game, the focus was on showing up for Mayich, his family, and his teammates.
"I’m really happy the team was able to keep playing after what happened. Something like that is really rough on the team, so seeing them be able to come out here and play is really cool," one supporter noted.
"Just coming out and supporting and showing we all care as a community is really important," an ASU junior said.
"Yeah, I think it’s really important to have the team and have Matthew know that we’re all here to support him and rally around him and especially his family that’s going through such a hard time," an ASU senior said.
"I think the number one thing is community. When you have people that have your back, it pushes you to keep going, even through tough times," another added.
What's next:
Head coach Greg Powers was absent from Friday's game as well, having been placed on administrative leave. The university also asked a former Arizona Supreme Court chief justice to conduct an independent investigation into the August workout.
Meanwhile, the Mayich family attorney says Matthew’s condition has not improved; the community at Friday's game continues to hold out hope for No. 27.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Nicole Krasean, reporter with FOX 10 News; unnamed fans, students, and a campus club hockey player present at Mullett Arena and the Arizona State University campus; an anonymous group of ASU hockey players who penned a letter to the university; Greg Powers, head coach with Arizona State University hockey; and an attorney representing the Mayich family.