A former Bucknell University strength and conditioning coach, Mark Kulbis, was charged with felony aggravated hazing and several misdemeanors after the 2024 death of freshman football player Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr., officials announced Monday.
According to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Dickey collapsed during a training session in July 2024 after Kulbis instructed him and other players to perform 100 “up-downs” and several full-body plank drills. Dickey, who had sickle-cell trait—a condition that can make intense exercise dangerous—was visibly struggling before passing out. Kulbis, the only coach present, did not call for help until Dickey lost consciousness. Dickey later died at a hospital two days after the workout. The autopsy found his death was due to a combination of the vigorous exercises, sickle-cell trait, body weight, and exertional rhabdomyolysis, a rare but serious condition caused by extreme physical exertion, as detailed by the attorney general’s office.
Authorities said Kulbis had been informed of Dickey’s medical condition and received training on NCAA anti-hazing standards, but allegedly ignored both. “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, adding, “C.J.’s death was preventable.”
Bail for Kulbis was set at $10,000, and he is facing additional charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and hazing. A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for July 28.
Kulbis’s attorney Barbara Zemlock stated, “While the death of Calvin Dickey is tragic, Mark Kulbis did not contribute to it and is not responsible for it … We intend to vigorously defend the charges,” as reported by ESPN.
Bucknell University said it has cooperated fully with the investigation, but declined to comment further because of ongoing criminal and civil proceedings. Dickey’s parents have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the university and Kulbis, alleging the school failed to protect their son despite knowing about his condition. The family’s attorneys called the criminal charges “a meaningful measure of criminal accountability.”
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) requires sickle-cell trait testing for all athletes and warns that most sudden deaths linked to the trait occur during conditioning sessions. The felony hazing charge against Kulbis falls under a Pennsylvania law enacted after the 2017 hazing death of another college student, underscoring the seriousness of such conduct.
Kulbis left his role at Bucknell in January 2025, about six months after Dickey’s death, according to his LinkedIn profile. The civil case against the university remains ongoing.
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