Ex-bucknell Coach Faces Charges Linked to Freshman’s Death

WHO:

ABC News - Mark Kulbis, former strength and conditioning coach at Bucknell University.

ABC News - Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr., a freshman football player at Bucknell University.

ABC News - Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday.

ABC News - Dickey's family, who filed a lawsuit against the university and others.

WHAT:

ABC News - Kulbis was charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and hazing.

CBS News - Kulbis subjected Dickey and other players to 100 "up-downs" and several full-body plank drills on the first day of freshman football practice despite training and direction from other coaches that the exercises weren't safe.

CBS News - An autopsy determined Dickey's death was caused by Kulbis subjecting him to exercises in combination with his sickle-cell trait, body weight, and exertional rhabdomyolysis.

ABC News - Kulbis was charged on a Monday, as announced by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

ABC News - Kulbis was the only coach present in the training room when Dickey collapsed.

ABC News - Kulbis left his position as head football strength and conditioning coach in January 2025, approximately six months after Dickey's death.

ABC News - The lawsuit filed by Dickey's family states that if proper practices had been followed, "CJ would still be alive today."

CBS News - Kulbis is facing charges that include aggravated hazing, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless endangerment.

ABC News - Kulbis has been charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and hazing.

CBS News - Bail was set at $10,000 for Kulbis.

CBS News - The felony aggravated hazing charge was made law by Pennsylvania in response to the hazing death of Penn State University student Tim Piazza in 2017.

CBS News - Attorney General Dave Sunday stated, “This law exists because it recognizes what hazing is: criminal conduct that, in the best possible scenario, humiliates and dehumanizes an individual — and at its worst, takes lives and leaves families and friends forever devastated.”

ABC News - Mark Kulbis has been charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and hazing.

ABC News - Dickey collapsed during training and died two days later.

ABC News - An autopsy found Dickey's death was caused by exercises, his sickle-cell trait, body weight, and exertional rhabdomyolysis.

NY Post - Dickey was 18 years old at the time of his death.

WHERE:

ABC News - Bucknell University, Pennsylvania.

WHEN:

ABC News - Dickey collapsed during training in July 2024.

NY Post - Dickey died on July 12, 2024.

WHY:

CBS News - Kulbis put Dickey through those workouts even though he knew about Dickey's medical condition and had received training from the university about sickle-cell trait, as well as hazing.

ABC News - Attorney General Dave Sunday stated, “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.”

ABC News - Kulbis was aware of Dickey’s medical condition and received training on it but allegedly disregarded that information.

ABC News - The lawsuit states that Dickey's death was “completely avoidable” if proper practices had been followed.

HOW:

ABC News - The exercises Dickey was subjected to included 100 “up-downs” and full-body plank drills, which are also known as “burpees.”

ABC News - Dickey and other players were instructed to perform 100 “up-downs” and full-body plank drills as punishment for not executing drills correctly.

ABC News - Sickle-cell trait can lead to serious health risks during extreme exertion, including muscle breakdown and death.

Kulbis has been charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and hazing following the tragic death of player Dickey. On the first day of freshman football practice, Kulbis subjected Dickey and other players to intense workouts, including 100 "up-downs" and full-body plank drills, despite being aware of Dickey's medical condition and having received training on the dangers of such exercises. An autopsy revealed that Dickey's death resulted from the combination of these strenuous activities, his sickle-cell trait, and exertional rhabdomyolysis.