Former coach at Bucknell University charged in death of freshman football player

A former strength and conditioning coach at Bucknell University was charged Monday in the death of a football player who collapsed during training, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

Calvin "CJ" Dickey Jr. was a freshman training in July 2024 at the university in Pennsylvania when Mark Kulbis told him and other football players to do 100 "up-downs" along with some full-body plank drills, according to the attorney general's office. Dickey had sickle-cell trait, a medical condition that can increase the risk of serious injury or death following extreme exertion.

Dickey, who had been recruited to play lineman positions at the university, started struggling and passed out, according to the attorney general's office. Kulbis was the only coach in the training room, according to the office.

Dickey was taken to the hospital and died two days later.

The attorney general's office said an autopsy found that his death was caused by the exercises along with his sickle-cell trait, body weight and exertional rhabdomyolysis, a rare but life-threatening condition in which muscles can break down from overexertion or other causes.

Kulbis had been told about Dickey's medical condition and received training from the school on it, according to the attorney general's office.

Kulbis has been charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing, according to the attorney general's office. Bail was set at $10,000.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.

"The facts show this was an intentional, deliberate hazing perpetrated by a coach who knew C.J.'s health condition made him vulnerable to extreme workouts," Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement. "The facts show this defendant received information about C.J.'s health condition, along with training about NCAA anti-hazing standards, and disregarded that information."

Bucknell University said in a statement that it has cooperated with the attorney general's office throughout the investigation.

"Because this is now an active criminal matter, and related civil litigation remains pending, the University will not comment on the allegations or legal proceedings," the statement said.

Last year, Dickey's family filed a lawsuit against the university, along with Kulbis and a handful of school officials, arguing that the athlete's death was "completely avoidable."

"If Defendants had followed well-established, well-known practices to protect athletes who have sickle cell trait, CJ would still be alive today," the lawsuit states.

Dickey and some of his freshman teammates were told to do the "up-downs" on the first day of practice as punishment for not doing drills the correct way, according to the lawsuit. Also known as "burpees," the exercise is where a person jumps to the ground face down and then comes back to a standing position repeatedly.

Michael Caspino, a lawyer for the family, said in a news conference announcing the lawsuit that athletes who have sickle-cell trait are not supposed to be worked out hard on their first day of practice.

"They are to be eased into their practice regiment," he said. "Otherwise, they can get rhabdomyolysis."

Kulbis served as head football strength and conditioning coach for the university for about six years, according to his LinkedIn profile. He left in January 2025, about six months after Dickey's death.

Sickle-cell trait, which is diagnosed through a blood test, doesn't usually affect people's daily lives. But it can cause decreased blood flow and muscle breakdown after intense exertion, dehydration or high body temperatures. In very rare cases, that can result in collapse and death.

The NCAA requires new athletes be tested for sickle-cell trait. Its website states that the trait only becomes a threat in rare situations when "athletes push the limits of their physical conditioning."

"Coaches should conduct appropriate sport-specific conditioning based on sound scientific principles and be ready to intervene when student-athletes show signs of distress," the NCAA's website states.