The parents of a football player at Bucknell University have filed a civil lawsuit against the institution and claim that first -year students agitate caused the death of his son. Calvin “CJ” Dickey, an 18 -year -old student, collapsed and died after he participated in a training session during his first practice.
Dickey attended his first football practice on July 10, 2024. He was planning to attend a team meeting, get to know medical staff, attend an “outdoor” walk practice and “light without weights” at the Pascucci gym, according to the litigation and as reported NPR.
What happened during practice?
First-year players were told that they were wrong during the exercises and were told to do up to make up for them. The down are exercises that consist of going to the ground in an impulse and again quickly. Dickey was told to do 100 up despite fighting.
According to demand, the coach of strength and conditioning, Mark Kulbis and several students. However, there was an athletic coach during training. Dickey collapsed and died two days later in the hospital.
The family of a university football player filed a lawsuit after his son collapsed and died after his first day of practice from an alleged ritual. https://t.co/Uplthhxkn
– ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7CHICAGO) April 5, 2025
The family lawyer, Mike Caspino, claims that Bucknell University is “doing his best to hide the facts that surround CJ’s death.”
“I dare to ask -Me, what in the world are hiding? What is so bad they can’t say -Parents, parents who hung up from a child who died, what happened and don’t want to share -with the world?” Press conference.
The University of Bucknell published a statement in response to complaints and demand.
“A student’s death is always a tragic loss,” NPR said in a statement. “Although the university will not comment on the outstanding litigation, we re -extend sincere sympathy to the CJ family and we will continue to focus on our most important priority: the health and safety of all Bucknell students.”
The family accuses the school of negligence taking into account the medical history of their child
The hospital was diagnosed with Dickey, “collapse of the exercise associated with the falciform cells”, as well as rabdomyolysis and acute renal failure, according to NPR. Falciform cell trait is a genetic blood disorder that can be mortal when combined with rabdomyolysis.
Dickey’s parents, Calvin Dickey And Nicole Dickey, they said that Bucknell coaches and coaches were aware of their child’s medical condition. They said that the team “did not take the necessary measures” to avoid the incident and have not taken responsibility for Dickey’s death.
Today it marks 6 months since we lost Calvin. In his honor, we have created a website to celebrate his incredible life and ensure that his legacy inspires change. Our hope is to prevent other families from experiencing the weakening we have supported. Visit: https://t.co/fjtdmbqa6d#Ll50cal
– Calvin Dickey (@CJ_DICKEY24) January 12, 2025
“We repeatedly requested not only a general view of high level of what happened that day, but for the details, the specific details completely transparent of what happened that day,” Nicole told NPR. “We have reached the point with Bucknell where we do not think we will achieve it.”
“The only way to achieve this is to file civil demand,” he adds. “I have to do justice for my son.”
Demand points to the routine routine of first -year players
Demand claimed that several members of the Bucknell community knew that Kulbis practiced affecting first -year football players. He accused Kulbis of “crudely abusing first -year players on the first day of practice.”
The demand was mentioned by Bucknell President John Bravman, Athletic Director of Sports Medicine Ian Wood, interim vice -president and director of athletics and recreation Tim Pavlechko, main coach Dave Cecchini and ex -Athletic Director Jermaine Trux as “ approved and approved and approved and behavior of Kulbis’s reckless behavior ”.
The demand also said another first -year football player who “suffered rabdomyolysis after one of Kulbis’s abusive conditioning sessions” three months after Dickey’s death and “that player survived but suffered serious injuries.”
