Mark Kulbis charged in death of Bucknell freshman player, with felony aggravated hazing among counts

A former Bucknell University strength and conditioning coach, Mark Kulbis, has been charged in connection with the 2024 death of freshman football player Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Monday that Kulbis faces a felony count of aggravated hazing, along with misdemeanor counts including involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing, stemming from a preseason workout at which Dickey collapsed and later died.

Dickey, an 18-year-old offensive lineman, died two days after collapsing during a July 10, 2024 team workout, according to the attorney general’s office as reported by CBS Sports. An autopsy cited exertional rhabdomyolysis as the cause of death, with the attorney general’s office attributing it to intense exercise combined with Dickey’s body weight and sickle cell trait.

The criminal case, as described in reporting based on the attorney general’s release, alleges that Kulbis required Dickey and other players to complete demanding conditioning drills during the session, including 100 “up-downs” and multiple full-body plank exercises. Investigators said they were told other coaches had raised concerns that such drills were unsafe, and that investigators believe Kulbis disregarded that guidance.

According to CBS Sports, investigators also allege Kulbis had been informed of Dickey’s sickle cell trait and had received training on the condition, as well as instruction on NCAA and state anti-hazing rules. The reporting further says Dickey was visibly struggling during the workout and that Kulbis, described as the only coach present in the training room at the time, did not call for help until after Dickey lost consciousness.

Kulbis surrendered to authorities Monday morning and was arraigned, with bail set at $10,000, CBS Sports reported. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 28, the same reporting said. Attorney General Sunday characterized the case as an intentional, deliberate hazing by a coach who knew Dickey’s health condition made him vulnerable to extreme workouts, while also pointing to the information Kulbis was said to have received about Dickey’s status.

The charges add to the legal and institutional scrutiny that often follows athlete deaths connected to training practices, particularly in college football strength programs. While the criminal process moves at its own pace, the case raises immediate questions for athletic departments about how medical information is documented and communicated, how workout intensity is managed for at-risk athletes, and how anti-hazing policies are enforced in day-to-day practice.

For Bucknell and the Patriot League, the timeline also underscores how player safety issues can persist for years and ultimately land in court. The next phase to watch is the preliminary hearing, when prosecutors will seek to establish the basis for the case to move forward, and defense arguments may focus on context, coaching decisions, and causation.

If convicted on the aggravated hazing felony or the other charges, the legal outcome could carry significant consequences for Kulbis personally and may shape how other programs review training protocols. In the near term, attention will likely return to the broader debate about conditioning culture in football, especially around high-intensity drills and the obligations coaches have when athletes disclose or are known to have medical conditions.