In July 2024, Calvin Dickey Jr., a freshman on the Bucknell University football team, collapsed during a preseason conditioning drill in Pennsylvania. The 19‑year‑old athlete had been diagnosed with sickle‑cell trait, a genetic condition that can precipitate severe muscle breakdown under extreme exertion.
The Training Session and Immediate Aftermath
According to investigators, strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis had instructed the players to perform 100 “up‑downs” and full‑body plank drills as part of that day’s workout. Witnesses said Dickey began to struggle, lost consciousness, and was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead two days later.
An autopsy determined that Dickey’s death resulted from the combination of the strenuous exercises, his sickle‑cell trait, body weight and an ensuing bout of exertional rhabdomyolysis. The findings prompted Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday to announce that Kulbis would be charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing. Bail was set at $10,000.
Legal Proceedings and Institutional Response
Bucknell University issued a brief statement confirming that it had cooperated with the attorney general’s office and declined to comment further on the pending litigation. The family of Dickey later filed a civil lawsuit alleging that the university, Kulbis and several school officials failed to protect the player, arguing that the hazing‑style punishment was avoidable.
Michael Caspino, an attorney representing the Dickey family, emphasized that athletes with sickle‑cell trait should be gradually introduced to high‑intensity training and that coaches must intervene at the first sign of distress. The lawsuit seeks to prevent similar tragedies by demanding stricter oversight of conditioning practices.
A National Conversation on Player Health
The incident has reignited discussions within the NCAA and among member institutions about the adequacy of existing health safeguards. The organization already requires new athletes to undergo sickle‑cell trait testing and advises coaches to monitor signs of exhaustion, but critics argue that enforcement remains inconsistent across programs.