Arizona State University has agreed to pay former hockey coach Greg Powers more than $1.3 million as part of a separation agreement, following an August 20, 2026 workout that left 21-year-old defenseman Matthew Mayich with a catastrophic brain injury. The session was led by former Green Beret Tim Ziesel, who had been invited to work with the team. As concerns mounted over how the workout was conducted and how staff responded when Mayich collapsed, Powers was placed on administrative leave. The university has since agreed to part ways with him, while questions about the incident remain under investigation.

According to financial records obtained by The Arizona Republic, Powers will receive 75% of his remaining contract, along with $85,000 in bonuses that the university said he had earned but not yet received. He will also be paid for 176 hours of accrued leave. The payout will be distributed in three installments: $531,923.08 initially, followed by $398,942.31 in August 2027 and another $398,942.31 in August 2028.

ASU announced on October 15 that it had mutually agreed to part ways with Powers, whose final day as head coach was October 16. His contract, signed in 2022 and updated in 2025, was set to run through 2030. The agreement includes a $35,000 academic bonus and a $50,000 retention bonus, in addition to the payments tied to the remaining contract.

The agreement also requires Powers to cooperate with the university and its legal counsel in any actual or potential legal proceedings, reviews or investigations related to his employment. He must participate in interviews, hearings and depositions, provide documents and truthful information, and preserve relevant evidence.

The agreement followed Powers’ placement on paid administrative leave on September 30. Seven players who participated in the August 20 workout came forward through an attorney, disputing accounts of the incident. They alleged that water was used as a reward, breaks were denied to players who struggled to keep up, and Mayich’s signs of distress were ignored.

The players also alleged that Powers downplayed Mayich’s condition after he collapsed, describing it as a relatively minor case of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. These allegations have raised further questions about the coaching staff’s response and the university’s handling of the incident. 

Another concern involves Powers’ cellphone. According to reporting by The Arizona Republic, an attorney representing Mayich’s family questioned whether Powers had replaced his phone after the workout. The family’s attorney said the family understood that Powers had been receiving death threats and asked the university to determine whether data from the original device had been preserved.

Questions have also emerged about how the workout was organized. An investigation by The Arizona Republic reported that Ziesel had not completed the university’s required vetting process or signed standard forms before leading the session. The report also identified potential failures to follow ASU’s heat-safety policies, including emergency procedures and the usual heat-acclimation period for athletes.

Mayich’s family continues to seek answers about the circumstances surrounding his collapse. An attorney representing the family has said the 21-year-old has no chance of recovery. Since the August 20 incident, Mayich has remained on life support for nearly two months, with medical equipment helping sustain his vital bodily functions.

As the university’s independent review continues, questions remain about how the workout was conducted, how staff responded to the emergency and whether all relevant evidence has been preserved.

With all these changes happening, one question remains: who will be willing to take the risk of leading the program amid the ongoing scrutiny?

ASU reshuffles Hockey staff

ASU’s hockey program has seen several changes to its coaching and support staff since Matthew Mayich’s collapse. Assistant coach Mike Corbett took charge of the team after Greg Powers was placed on paid administrative leave on September 30. Associate coach Alex Hicks was also absent during the team’s second series, though the university offered no public explanation. Athletic trainer Amanda Doyle, who had helped oversee the August 20 workout, was reassigned to another sport, with Maggie Corbett taking over as the hockey team’s trainer.

Then on October 15, ASU appointed Dave Hakstol as its new head coach. The 58-year-old joined the Sun Devils after serving as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche. He previously spent 11 seasons at the University of North Dakota, leading the team to seven Frozen Four appearances and 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Hakstol also served as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers and the Seattle Kraken. ASU named former NHL player Matt Greene, who played under Hakstol at North Dakota, as an assistant coach.

With a new head coach and changes across the program, ASU is entering a new chapter for Sun Devil hockey. However, the leadership transition does not settle the questions surrounding Mayich’s collapse.