(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
TEMPE – Arizona State head coach Greg Powers has been placed on administrative leave, effective immediately, and will not travel with the team on Thursday for its opening series against Lindenwood, per Brad Elliot Schlossman. Assistant coach Mike Corbett will lead the team against Lindenwood this weekend, as the program will soon name an interim head coach.
The move comes 41 days after sophomore Matthew Mayich collapsed and was hospitalized with heat-stroke-related brain trauma following an outdoor team workout. As Mayich has remained on life support since the August 20 workout, Powers has been the subject of questions about the workout process and the handling of ASU’s heat illness policies, which were not properly followed.
On Monday, seven ASU players anonymously requested that Powers and his staff be placed on leave through lawyer Timothy J. Casey. A day later, athletic director Graham Rossinni, along with other administrators, individually met with Sun Devil players.
In their letter to ASU President Michael Crow, the anonymous players said that Powers and all of his assistants were in attendance at the workout and asked that they be placed on leave. Powers was the only one to be placed on leave, as all of his assistants remain on staff and “decide our playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status,” according to the players.
Minutes after the announcement, Rossini released a statement on the decision.
“Our focus continues to be on Matthew and his family, and on our student-athletes to make sure they have the support they need during this time and as the season begins,” Rossini said. “We have continued to collect as much information as possible. After thorough and careful deliberation, I believe this is the best move to provide stability for the hockey program.”
