Former Bucknell Coach Charged in Freshman Football Player’s Death

On July 10, 2024, during Bucknell’s football practice, strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis ordered 18-year-old freshman lineman Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr. to complete 100 “up-downs” and plank drills despite Dickey’s known sickle-cell trait. Dickey struggled, collapsed, and died two days later. Kulbis faces charges of aggravated hazing, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and related offenses. He surrendered, posted $10,000 bail, and has a preliminary hearing on July 28, 2024.

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Sickle-cell trait raises risk of exertional rhabdomyolysis during intense exercise. The NCAA mandates testing and urges coaches to stop activity at signs of distress. Pennsylvania’s anti-hazing law, passed after the 2017 death of Penn State student Tim Piazza, criminalizes hazing that endangers participants.

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Attorney General Dave Sunday said evidence shows “intentional, deliberate hazing” and that Kulbis ignored health information and NCAA training. Bucknell University said it is cooperating with Attorney General’s office, will not comment while criminal and civil matters are pending, and expressed sympathy for Dickey family. Kulbis’s attorney Barbara Zemlock asserted Kulbis “did not contribute to” death and will “vigorously defend” him. Dickey family attorneys called charges a “meaningful measure of accountability” as wrongful-death suit proceeds.

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The Dickey family filed a negligence and wrongful-death suit against Bucknell in April 2025, alleging the university let a player with a sickle-cell trait compete without safeguards. The suit was withdrawn in September, yet civil action continues in federal court. Critics say the university failed to enforce safe conditioning protocols and ignored NCAA guidance, raising concerns about hazing culture and medical oversight.

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All sources agree on the cause of death and the criminal charges. Reports differ on the civil suit’s status: some note the family withdrew the lawsuit in September 2025, others say civil action remains pending in federal court.

Former Bucknell coach charged with felony hazing in football player's death

• “While the death of Calvin Dickey is tragic, Mark Kulbis did not contribute to it and is not responsible for it,” — Barbara Zemlock, attorney for Mark Kulbis

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• “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,” — Attorney General Dave Sunday

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• “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. This is an extraordinary tragedy, worsened by the fact that C.J.'s death was preventable.” — Attorney General Dave Sunday

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• “The Dickey family is grateful that criminal charges have been filed in connection with CJ's preventable death. This is a meaningful measure of criminal accountability, as the civil case against Bucknell continues.” — Dickey family attorneys

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Kulbis’s preliminary hearing is set for July 28, 2024; the wrongful-death suit against Bucknell remains pending in federal court.

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