HARRISBURG, PA — Charges against a former Bucknell University strength and conditioning coach were held for court Friday in connection with the 2024 death of freshman football recruit Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr., according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
Dickey, of Florida, was on the Bucknell campus July 10, 2024, for the first day of freshman football practice when prosecutors allege he was directed to perform extensive calisthenics despite having sickle cell trait.
At Friday’s preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented testimony alleging Mark Kulbis, the university’s strength and conditioning coach at the time, subjected Dickey to hazing despite having been informed of the recruit’s medical condition and receiving university training concerning sickle cell trait, Pennsylvania hazing law and NCAA standards.
Following the hearing, a magisterial district judge ordered charges of felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing to be held for county court, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Investigators allege that before the July 10 practice, Kulbis required Dickey and other players to complete 100 “up-downs” and several full-body plank drills. The Attorney General’s Office described the drills as extraneous calisthenic exercises and alleged Kulbis used them despite training and direction from other coaches that such exercises were not appropriate or safe as part of training.
Dickey was treated at an area hospital and died July 12, 2024.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, an autopsy determined that Dickey’s death resulted from the exercises allegedly imposed by Kulbis in combination with Dickey’s sickle cell trait, body weight and exertional rhabdomyolysis.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Jaime Keating is prosecuting the case.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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