# Hockey Player Collapses During Extreme Heat Workout > Hockey player Matthew Mayich hospitalized after heat stroke during Arizona practice. - Title: Hockey Player Collapses During Extreme Heat Workout | Shortify - Summary: Hockey player Matthew Mayich hospitalized after heat stroke during Arizona practice. Hockey player Matthew Mayich remains hospitalized after collapsing… - Keywords: matthew mayich, korey stringer, arizona state university, heat stroke, extreme heat, nfl, wet bulb globe temperature, korey stringer institute, heat policy, college sports, Hockey, Player - Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/korey-stringer-matthew-mayich-heat-stroke-deaths-policies-climate-change-extreme-high-temperature-workouts - Author: Tik Root - Published: 2026-10-11T08:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: matthew mayich, korey stringer, arizona state university, heat stroke, extreme heat, nfl, wet bulb globe temperature, korey stringer institute, heat policy, college sports ## Matthew Mayich collapses Matthew Mayich collapsed during a morning workout at Sun Angel Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on August 20. > Matthew Mayich appeared to struggle, then stumbled, dropped the ball, and fell ## Heat stroke diagnosis Mayich's family lawyer Robert Carey described his condition as exertional heat stroke. > he has told journalists the family’s hope for a meaningful recovery hovers near a miracle ## Training session details The session lasted 45 minutes with push-ups, planks, flutter kicks, bear crawls, squats, sprints, and buddy-carries. > the players set off in small groups, according to the university’s timeline of events ## Heat intensity Temperatures reached mid-80s with heat index near 100 degrees during the session. > the heat index, a measure of temperature and humidity, hit nearly 100 degrees ## Medical response Mayich received iced towels and cool water before paramedics rushed him to the hospital. > By the time paramedics arrived, he had been down for 17 minutes, during which nothing effectively cooled him ## Korey Stringer's death Korey Stringer died of heat stroke 25 years before Mayich's hospitalization. > Korey Stringer died of heat stroke 25 years to the month before Mayich’s hospitalization ## Heat policy failures ASU did not follow its own heat policy with no immersion tub, no ice chests, no on-field heat measurement. > the session continued after some of us showed signs of distress, including dropping to a knee, vomiting and, in Matthew’s case, visible disorientation well before the final task ## Teammate letter Teammates accused ASU of policy violations and wrote that Mayich showed signs of distress before the final task. > Matthew crawled on hands and knees and appeared disoriented. When he stood, he nearly fell ## Acclimatization issues Mayich arrived in Arizona eight days before the session but NCAA rules barred official practices until August 2. > NCAA rules barred official practices until August 20 ## Heat measurement errors ASU used weather station data instead of on-field wet bulb globe temperature measurements. > On-field WBGT observations were, on average, significantly higher than WBGT estimated from regional weather stations ## University review ASU appointed Scott Bales to lead an independent review of heat policies by December. > The university has asked Bales to complete the review by early December ## Family demands Mayich’s family wants an independent investigation of what happened on the field and who was responsible. > It wants an independent investigation of what happened on the field, who was responsible, and whether university, athletic conference, or NCAA rules were violated ## Heat policy impact Georgia implemented strict heat policies that reduced heat-related illnesses by 75% in three years. > Researchers found that, within three years, heat-related illness had dropped dramatically ## Heat stroke risks Exertional heat stroke is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body overheats and cannot cool down. > It’s a leading cause of preventable sports deaths, and the risk is rising as climate change has made extreme heat more frequent, intense, and prolonged ## Heat policy gaps Many states have weak heat policies with only 5 points or below on the Korey Stringer Institute’s scale. > There is a huge amount of disparity in the results ## What happens next Mayich remains on life support at Barrow Neurological Institute while ASU launches a heat preparedness center. > Heat is a killer. In Phoenix, you don’t have to have that reminder. ## Key takeaway Hockey player Matthew Mayich remains hospitalized after collapsing during a morning workout in Arizona's extreme heat, highlighting rising risks of heat-related athletic deaths as climate change intensifies.