On Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr.’s first day of football practice at Bucknell University, a coach directed him to do extraneous training, even though his sickle cell trait put him at risk of death, prosecutors allege.
Dickey passed out and died two days later on July 12, 2024. On Monday, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General charged the then-Bucknell coach with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing.
Mark Kulbis, the strength and conditioning coach at the time, was arraigned Monday in Union County, and released on $10,000 unsecured bail.
Aspiring pharmacist loved football
The Union County District Attorney’s office referred the case to state Attorney General Dave Sunday's office last year.
“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,” 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. This is an extraordinary tragedy, worsened by the fact that C.J.’s death was preventable.”
Prosecutors say Kulbis subjected Dickey, and other players, to 100 “up-downs” and several full-body plank drills — both considered extraneous calisthenic exercises.
“This was done in spite of training and direction from other coaches that such exercises were not appropriate or safe for use as part of training,” according to Sunday’s office.
Bucknell recruited Dickey, from Tampa, Florida, to play lineman. The aspiring pharmacist visibly struggled with the exercises, and Kulbis, the only coach in the training room, did not summon help until Dickey passed out, prosecutors claim.
Dickey died in the hospital two days later, on July 12, 2024. Sunday said the autopsy determined the death was caused by Kulbis subjecting Dickey to the exercises in combination with Dickey’s Sickle Cell trait, body weight and exertional rhabdomyolysis — the rapid breakdown of damaged skeletal muscle.
Since 2014, at least 10 college athletes have died from complications of sickle cell trait, including one related to rhabdomyolysis, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, which NPR reported.
Hazing charge, wrongful death lawsuit
Sunday’s office calls the extraneous training a “hazing incident.”
The aggravated hazing charge faced by Kulbis was made law by the Pennsylvania Legislature in response to the hazing death of Penn State University student Tim Piazza in 2017.
“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,” Sunday said.
Dickey’s family sued Bucknell, school officials and athletic staff last year, alleging their son’s death was the result of a hazing ritual for freshmen players. The family filed the lawsuit in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County, and refiled the wrongful death case in federal court in the fall.
Bucknell issued a statement Monday afternoon.
"Bucknell has cooperated with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office throughout its 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 reads. "We continue to remember Calvin 'CJ' Dickey, Jr. and extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."
Efforts to obtain comment from Kulbis were not immediately successful Monday.
