Graham Rossini Provides Update on ASU Hockey

ASU athletic director Graham Rossini made his weekly appearance on Burns and Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM and provided an update on Arizona State hockey. Head coach Greg Powers was put on paid administrative leave as an investigation continues into what happened during an August 20 where student-athlete Matthew Mayich collapsed and has been in the hospital since. 

Rossini described the situation as “heartbreaking” and points to three aspects the athletic department is navigating: the review of the events, the ASU police investigation and the upcoming season. 

“Throughout this process, since the very beginning, we’ve been trying to learn as much as we can, collect as much feedback, piece the facts together as best we can,” Rossini said. “(The players) have been very consistent in communicating that they want to play this season. They want to start this weekend at Lindenwood. They want to play for each other. They want to play to represent ASU, and most importantly, they want to play for Matthew. The decision for for (Coach Powers) to step aside right now was based on getting them ready to play. And they want to play. They want to move forward. They want to start to limit the distractions around the program, so they can focus on hockey and they can focus on being together.”

Earlier this week, seven players anonoymously sent a letter to Michael Crow asking for Powers to be put on leave and said some of the findings in the initial report were incorrect. 

“We’ve been very interested in that information, and I’ve been in front of the team several times communicating that the most important thing in this process, the most important thing for Matthew, is information,” Rossini said.  “We really encourage anybody within the program to be able to communicate that when they’ve been requested to or however they choose to share it. It’s been a deliberate process. We’ve been very careful to collect as much as we can, and and and not just make a decision based on what we know, but but complete the facts and complete the information along the way. There’s been a lot to learn throughout the process, and again, we value feedback every way that it’s found its way to ASU through this process.”

ASU assistant Mike Corbett will oversee the program this weekend, and the university has the intention to hire an interim coach “as soon as next week” according to Rossini.  He also said the continued invesitgation with dictate whether further disciplinary action will be taken.

“We want to share the information while it’s complete. That process is continuing with respect to other disciplinary or consequences,” Rossini said. “That’s what the review will lead us to. And as that review completes, as the investigation completes, we’ll be better able to answer those kind of questions. But right now, it’s learning what happens, applying that information as we move forward, and doing everything we can to avoid these situations from happening again.”