Former Bucknell Strength Coach Charged In Player's Death After 2024 Collapse At Workout
Former Bucknell strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis was charged Monday, July 6, 2026, with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts including involuntary manslaughter in the 2024 death of freshman lineman Calvin "C.J." Dickey Jr.[1].
Prosecutors say Kulbis ordered freshmen to perform about 100 "up-downs" plus full-body plank drills during a July 10, 2024, first-day workout and that he was the only coach present.[1] They allege Kulbis knew Dickey had a sickle-cell trait, had received NCAA and school anti-hazing training, and did not call for help until after Dickey collapsed despite visible struggle.[2] An autopsy concluded Dickey's death was caused by extreme exercise combined with his sickle-cell trait, body weight and exertional rhabdomyolysis, prosecutors said.[1] Bail for Kulbis was set at $10,000.[1] His attorney says he is not responsible for Dickey's death.[3]
On July 10, 2024, prosecutors say Dickey collapsed during the conditioning session and later died.[1] The Union County district attorney later referred the investigation to the Pennsylvania attorney general's office. The Dickey family filed a wrongful-death suit against Bucknell and Kulbis in April 2025 and launched the C.J. Dickey Foundation to promote sickle-cell trait awareness.[3]
Early coverage framed the episode mainly as a tragic workout death and focused on the newly filed charges.[4] Later reporting shifted attention to prosecutors' contention that Kulbis knew of Dickey's sickle-cell trait and ignored precautions, a turn underscored in reporting by NPR.[1]
The mainstream summary does not mention that the NCAA mandates all student-athletes to confirm their sickle cell trait status through documented blood tests before participating in athletics, a requirement that has been in place since 2010. This context is crucial, as it underscores the expectation that coaches like Kulbis should be aware of their players' health risks, particularly in high-intensity situations. Additionally, while the summary briefly touches on the charges against Kulbis, it overlooks the fact that the NCAA provides specific guidelines for conditioning athletes with sickle cell traits, recommending a gradual approach to training to mitigate risks. This raises questions about whether Kulbis adhered to these guidelines during the workout that led to Dickey's death. Moreover, reports indicate that Kulbis had received anti-hazing training, yet he allegedly ignored the precautions necessary for a player with Dickey's condition, highlighting a troubling disregard for established safety protocols.
Furthermore, the summary does not address the broader implications of this case, including the historical context of athlete deaths related to sickle cell trait complications. Prior to the NCAA's 2010 policy, nine Division I football players died from such complications, while only one death occurred in the subsequent nine years, suggesting that the implementation of screening and education has had a significant impact. This historical data emphasizes the importance of accountability in college athletics and the need for strict adherence to safety measures to prevent future tragedies.[5][6][7]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
The NCAA requires all Division I, II, and III student-athletes to confirm sickle cell trait status through documented blood test results before athletic participation.
Sickle Cell Testing of College Athletes — Rhode Island Department of Health
NCAA guidance for athletes with sickle cell trait recommends a slow and gradual preseason conditioning regimen, building intensity slowly while training, and avoiding exclusion from participation when precautions are followed.
SICKLE CELL TRAIT — NCAA
Nine Division I football players died from sickle cell trait complications in the 10 years before the NCAA's 2010 screening and education policy; only one such death occurred in the following 9 years.
Gaps remain in college sports' 15-year-old sickle cell policy — UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
📌 Key Facts
- On Monday, July 6, 2026, former Bucknell strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis was charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts including involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing in connection with the incident.
- The charges stem from a July 10, 2024 first-day workout at Bucknell in which freshman lineman Calvin "C.J." Dickey Jr. collapsed during conditioning and later died.
- Pennsylvania prosecutors allege C.J.'s sickle‑cell trait was known to Kulbis and that he had received school and NCAA anti‑hazing training but 'disregarded that information,' making the player's medical vulnerability central to the case.
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said an autopsy concluded Dickey's death was caused by extreme exercises combined with his sickle‑cell trait, body weight and exertional rhabdomyolysis.
- Prosecutors allege the July 10, 2024 session ordered by Kulbis included about 100 'up‑downs' plus full‑body plank drills, that Kulbis was the only coach present, and that he did not call for help until after Dickey collapsed despite visible struggle.
- Dickey's parents said they felt 'appreciation' when charges were filed, have launched the C.J. Dickey Foundation to promote sickle‑cell trait awareness and filed a civil lawsuit against Bucknell in April 2025 alleging the death was 'completely avoidable.'
- Bail for Kulbis was set at $10,000; his attorney disputes prosecutors' claims and did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Bucknell says it cooperated with the attorney general's investigation but declined further comment because of the active criminal and civil cases.
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- NPR confirms that on Monday, July 6, 2026, former Bucknell strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis was charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing in the July 10, 2024 workout death of freshman lineman Calvin "CJ" Dickey Jr.
- The article details that Kulbis ordered Dickey and other freshmen on the first day of training in July 2024 to perform about 100 'up‑downs' plus full‑body plank drills in a session where he was the only coach present.
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said an autopsy concluded Dickey's death was caused by the extreme exercises in combination with his sickle‑cell trait, body weight and exertional rhabdomyolysis.
- NPR reports that Kulbis had been informed of Dickey's sickle‑cell trait and had received school training on the condition and NCAA anti‑hazing standards, according to the attorney general's office.
- The piece notes that bail for Kulbis was set at $10,000 and that his lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- Bucknell University reiterated that it has cooperated with the attorney general's investigation but declined further comment because of the active criminal case and related civil litigation.
- The article recounts that Dickey's family filed a civil suit in 2025 alleging his death was 'completely avoidable' and that athletes with sickle‑cell trait should be eased into training rather than subjected to intense first‑day workouts.
- Nicole and Calvin "C.J." Dickey Jr.'s parents told CBS Mornings they felt "appreciation" when they learned of the charges and view the case as an opportunity for education and awareness.
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement that Kulbis received information about C.J.'s sickle-cell trait and NCAA anti-hazing training and "disregarded that information," calling the death preventable.
- Prosecutors allege the July 10, 2024 workout included 100 "up-downs" and that Kulbis did not call for help until after C.J. collapsed despite visible struggle.
- The article notes that the NCAA requires all new athletes to be screened for sickle-cell trait and that its guidance deems exercise generally safe if precautions such as cool-downs and slower pacing are used.
- The Dickey family has launched the C.J. Dickey Foundation to promote sickle-cell trait awareness and education and has a pending civil lawsuit against Bucknell filed in April 2025.
- Kulbis' attorney maintains that the coach is not responsible for C.J.'s death, disputing prosecutors' claims.
- CBS reports on July 8, 2026, that Pennsylvania prosecutors allege former Bucknell strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis knew Calvin "CJ" Dickey Jr. had a sickle-cell trait that increased his risk of serious injury or death from extreme exertion.
- The CBS segment reiterates that Dickey collapsed during a 2024 football practice and died after that workout, framing the criminal case around conditioning intensity and known medical vulnerability.
- Jericka Duncan's report centers on prosecutorial claims about Kulbis's knowledge of Dickey's condition as a key element of the aggravated-hazing and involuntary-manslaughter charges.
- A CBS News segment published Tuesday, July 7, 2026, reports that former Bucknell University strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis has been charged with felony aggravated hazing and involuntary manslaughter two years after an 18-year-old football player's death.
- The article reiterates that the charges stem from the July 2024 first-day workout in which the freshman collapsed and later died.