Former Green Beret tied to ASU hockey workout where player collapsed

A former Green Beret who has led military-type workouts for college athletes was involved in the outdoor exercise where an Arizona State University hockey player collapsed on Aug. 20.

Tim Ziesel of Scottsdale told The Arizona Republic he wouldn't talk about what happened at the track in Tempe, where Matthew Mayich, 21, suffered what family and friends describe as a cardiac event.

Ziesel, in an Aug. 24 phone interview, said he wasn't sure of the protocol of speaking publicly and he would have to check with ASU before commenting. The former Green Beret said he would provide a written statement, then stopped responding to calls and messages.

He had provided no statement as of Aug. 27.

"I don't know what all needs to be said and not needs to be said. I would go to the ASU for that," Ziesel said during the call. "Maybe in the future we can talk about it."

Ziesel said he didn't know "the whole situation" and asked about the circumstances of Mayich's collapse. He said he wasn't "tracking what all is going on with this."

Ziesel noted his status as a military veteran and the process the U.S. Army follows before someone can speak publicly about an issue.

"I'll give you a call back and get you a statement," he said.

Mayich was rushed from ASU's track to an area hospital and then transferred to Barrow Neurological Institute, where a deacon close to the family says he has remained in a coma. The sophomore defenseman from Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, near Hamilton, was in his first year in the program.

He was drafted in 2023 by the St. Louis Blues National Hockey League team.

ASU Athletic Director Graham Rossini declined comment. Hockey coach Greg Powers and a team trainer did not respond to requests for comment. ASU's administration has provided only brief written statements but has promised an investigation.

ASU "is reviewing everything surrounding the workout," Chris Fiscus, vice president of media relations, told The Republic.

University officials have declined repeatedly to talk about the exercise routine or Ziesel's role in it. The exercise occurred around 8: 30 a.m. on the first day of classes for the fall semester.

"A student-athlete who collapsed during an outdoor exercise Thursday morning remains hospitalized," according to an Aug. 25 statement from ASU. "The student-athlete, a member of the ASU hockey team, is not being named by the university because of privacy interests. The university is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout."

The Phoenix area has experienced extreme heat for days. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport recorded a temperature of 87 degrees at 7:51 a.m. and 89 degrees around 8:51 a.m. on Aug. 20, according to meteorologists.

Ziesel mum on training or track record of military-type college training

Ziesel wouldn't talk about his work with the ASU hockey team, but he received accolades from an exercise at another Arizona college in 2022.

"We’re super thankful for our friend Tim Ziesel helping our team learn more about what it means to be men of character, meekness, and integrity these past few weeks!" the Arizona Christian University men's basketball team posted on X in 2022. "Fridays are for getting better with our friend Tim Ziesel."

A picture with a Sept. 16, 2022, post shows Ziesel huddled with basketball team members outside on a football field. Some athletes appear spent and sweating. One player was bending over with his hands on his knees. A picture in a Sept. 2, 2022, post shows team members engaged in a tug-of-war.

The Sept. 2 post also gave a shoutout to coach Randy Chambers, who is listed on the university's website as a "transformational coach for the athletic department" and "character coach" for the ACU football team.

Chambers did not respond to interview requests left by phone and text.

Ziesel has a very limited online profile. In two podcsasts, he described himself as a veteran of the armed forces. He said he first joined the Navy and left after a couple of years before enlisting in the U.S. Army for eight years, where he became a Green Beret. He also talked about his strong religious faith and how he witnessed to fellow soldiers while stationed in Afghanistan, Eastern Europe "and a lot of time in the Middle East."

Ziesel told Julian Gibb of the Phoenix-based Harvest Foundation that he grew up in a missionary family that lived in Puerto Rico, South Africa, Guam and Micronesia before returning to the United States when he was in high school. 

"My dad was a missionary and a pastor. He was a planter of churches. My grandfather actually was a pretty big-time evangelist as well," Ziesel said in a Feb. 10, 2025, interview. "Often he got confused with Billy Graham because they they look the same. So many times they thought he was Billy Graham, but he was not."

Ziesel's identity appears deeply connected to his military service, which he referenced throughout interviews, his college training experiences and in court records.

His life was derailed in 2023 when a drunken driver struck him while he was riding on a motorcycle he had bought only two months earlier.

According to Maricopa County Superior Court records, Ziesel suffered severe injuries in a crash after a man driving a Jeep turned in front of him on Shea Road in Scottsdale.

Ziesel and his wife said in a victim-impact statement that he suffered a traumatic brain injury and extensive injuries to both arms and wrists that required multiple surgeries. 

The couple said the crash left Ziesel with lasting problems with his memory, decision-making, emotional regulation and physical abilities. The couple also said his injuries contributed to the loss of his job and required significant assistance from his family.

The driver of the Jeep pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and endangerment and was sentenced to four years in prison. Ziesel received $1 million in a civil settlement, court records show. Court records show no charges were filed against Ziesel in connection with the crash. 

Ziesel told Gibb in the podcast interviews that he enrolled in seminary after an extensive recovery. 

"I'm in seminary now," Ziesel said. "I've completely done a 180 on the trajectory of where I thought my life was going to go, and we'll see how the story ends."

Prayers, support pour in from hockey community

Family and friends have held a daily prayer vigil for Mayich that has brought together hundreds of supporters from his hometown in Canada and throughout the world.

About 175 people joined a fifth consecutive day of online rosary prayers on Aug. 27. 

“There’s actually people praying with us from all over the world, different continents, many different countries,” said Deacon Kevin Barron of the Catholic Community of Buffalo North, who began leading services at the request of Mayich's family.

"I can see how important he is to both his family, the hockey community in Arizona State," he said in an Aug. 25 interview with The Republic.

Barron said Mayich's cousin reached out to him after learning the hockey player had experienced a cardiac event and was still in a coma.

"Even though we are going through this heartbreak, it is truly such a blessing to see everyone praying and just the impact Matthew has had on so many people," Mayich's cousin, Victoria Beara, said during the Aug. 25 rosary. "It's in God's hand. Please don't stop praying and don’t give up."

Beara is married to Owen Power, who plays for the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League.

Barron said Mayich's family is grieving and asked for privacy and for the public's prayers.

Who is ASU hockey player Matthew Mayich?

Support for Mayich is coming in from the hockey community across North America.

Mayich was part of a 2026 ASU transfer portal class that ranked first in the country. He appeared in 34 games, tallying seven goals and eight assists in his freshman season at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York.

Before playing at Clarkson, Mayich spent four years with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League, appearing in more than 250 games, scoring 106 points over his career. He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round (No. 170 overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

"The entire Blues organization is keeping Matthew Mayich close to our hearts as we pray for his comfort and recovery," Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues president of hockey operations, said in a statement.

Mayich’s former junior hockey team, the Ottawa 67’s, used his nickname in a message of support.

“Thinking of you, Mayo," an X post said.

Questions about what exactly happened to Mayich remain in the hockey and sports community, with many people taking to social media to express frustration over limited information.

"August in Phoenix and the head coach @asucoachpowers demanded that a Navy Seal came in and put the kids through outdoor workouts," a poster under the name Baxter McNally wrote in an Aug. 25 post on X.

He followed up in multiple posts, telling others to contact players for the truth of the workout.

The Arizona Board of Regents would not comment on the investigation.

"Our hearts are with the student, his family, teammates, and the entire ASU community as they navigate this incredibly difficult time," Megan Gilbertson, associate vice president for public affairs, said in a statement.

"The health and safety of our students is deeply important to the Board. ASU is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout, and the Board is being kept informed as that review moves forward," she said. "Out of respect for the student-athlete's privacy, the Board will not be commenting further at this time."

Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X @robertanglen.

Rey Covarrubias Jr. is a reporter for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@azcentral.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ. 

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former Green Beret tied to ASU hockey workout where player collapsed