Ex-Green Beret says he left ASU workout just before player collapse | Exclusive

The ex-Green Beret who led an outdoor military-style workout at Arizona State University says he left before a hockey player collapsed at the track and was rushed to the hospital.

Tim Ziesel had wrapped up the first day of a three-day "team-building" routine even as other exercises continued, his lawyer told The Arizona Republic.

About 20 minutes after that, Matthew Mayich suffered an apparent cardiac event, Phoenix lawyer Buddy Rake said.

"He didn't observe anyone passing out," Rake said. "This was not a Green Beret or SEAL workout. Far from it. … The head coach, assistant coaches and medical were always present."

Ziesel, who led a similar volunteer routine for the ASU hockey team in 2025, ran players through 45-50 minutes of sprints, push-ups and flutter kicks. He also had them lift and carry teammates, Rake said. Later, exercises involving medicine balls were used, but Ziesel was gone, he said.

"Obviously, he is devastated by what's happened to this kid," Rake said. "This is a horrible event that should be thoroughly and objectively investigated."

Ziesel's description is the first public account from anyone leading activities on the field the day Mayich collapsed. Rake spoke to The Republic by phone on Aug. 27 and followed up with texts on Aug. 28.

The Republic first identified Ziesel in an Aug. 27 story about his involvement in the ASU hockey workout and his part in training other college athletes on lessons of "character, meekness, and integrity."

Ziesel, who lives in Scottsdale, said on Aug. 24 that he didn't know "the whole situation." He asked about the circumstances of Mayich's collapse and said he wasn't "tracking what all is going on with this." Ziesel promised to provide a statement, then stopped responding.

He referred questions to ASU's Athletic Department. But Rake said no university official has talked to Ziesel since the incident, including coaches or Athletic Department staff.

"He has not received any instructions ... he has not had any discussions with them," Rake said. "But I am going to call to see if I can get a hold of the ASU lawyer."

University officials have declined repeatedly to talk about the workout routine or Ziesel's role in it. The exercise occurred early on Aug. 20, the first day of classes for the fall semester.

The university promised a thorough review in an Aug. 25 statement after The Republic first identified Mayich.

"A student-athlete who collapsed during an outdoor exercise Thursday morning remains hospitalized," according to the statement. "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."

Tempe Fire Medical Rescue crews responded at 8:30 a.m. to ASU's Joe Selleh Track near Rural Road and Rio Salado Parkway for calls of a heat-related illness. The temperature at the time was between 87 and 89 degrees.

Mayich was rushed to a hospital and later 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 has declined comment to The Republic. On Aug. 28, he told the Burns and Gambo Show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, “This is not an investigation where somebody’s suggesting something went wrong. We’re just reviewing the facts and understanding the scenario.”

Hockey coach Greg Powers and a team trainer did not respond to requests for comment.

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

A sixth consecutive daily prayer service for Mayich drew about 160 people on the morning of Aug. 28.

The prayer was led by Deacon Ivan Zeljeznjak, who recited a rosary. He asked for comfort for Mayich, his family and friends, and protection over his caretakers. 

People from all over the world have responded to prayer calls, said Deacon Kevin Barron of the Catholic Community of Buffalo North, who began leading services at the request of Mayich's family.

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."

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

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.

Drafted players retain their college status while NHL teams hold their exclusive signing rights.

The Ottawa 67’s used his nickname in an Aug. 26 message of support.

“Thinking of you, Mayo," the post on X said.

Ziesel is "an incredible role model" and would have not violated rules or put students in jeopardy, Rake said, adding he has known the Special Forces veteran for years.

ASU's coaching staff invited Ziesel to train the hockey team based on his popularity with athletes in 2025.

"He had done the same thing last year, and the kids had liked it so much that the coaches wanted him to come back and do it this year," he said.

Rake, who served as a head basketball coach at Thunderbird High School for years, said Ziesel's exercise routine was vigorous but not extreme. He said water was available to students and coaches, and staff complied with all state and National Collegiate Athletic Association guidelines.

"From a coaching standpoint, the exercises would not be considered hard," he said. "I would consider, on a conditioning scale, a five or six out of 10."

Ziesel received accolades for an exercise routine at Arizona Christian University 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 university men's basketball team posted on X. "Fridays are for getting better with our friend Tim Ziesel."

A picture 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.

Ziesel has 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. During podcasts with Julian Gibb of the Phoenix-based Harvest Foundation, he talked about his strong faith and witnessing to fellow soldiers while stationed in Afghanistan, Eastern Europe "and a lot of time in the Middle East."

Ziesel's 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.

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

Rake represented Ziesel in the crash.

Ziesel said in the podcast interviews that he enrolled in seminary as part of an extensive recovery.

Republic reporter Corina Vanek contributed to this story.

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: Ex-Green Beret says he left ASU workout just before player collapse | Exclusive