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A former strength and conditioning coach at Bucknell University was charged Monday in the death of a football player who collapsed during training, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office.

Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr. was a freshman training in July 2024 at the university in Pennsylvania when Mark Kulbis told him and other football players to do 100 “up-downs” along with some full-body plank drills, according to the attorney general’s office. Dickey had sickle-cell trait, a medical condition that can increase the risk of serious injury or death following extreme exertion.

Dickey, who had been recruited to play lineman positions at the university, started struggling and passed out, according to the attorney general’s office. Kulbis was the only coach in the training room, according to the office.

Dickey was taken to the hospital and died two days later.

The attorney general’s office said an autopsy found that his death was caused by the exercises along with his sickle-cell trait, body weight and exertional rhabdomyolysis, a rare but life-threatening condition in which muscles can break down from overexertion or other causes.

Kulbis had been told about Dickey’s medical condition and received training from the school on it, according to the attorney general’s office.

Kulbis has been charged with felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and hazing, according to the attorney general’s office. Bail was set at $10,000.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.

“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,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave 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.”

Bucknell University said in a statement that it has cooperated with the attorney general’s office throughout the 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 said.

Last year, Dickey’s family filed a lawsuit against the university, along with Kulbis and a handful of school officials, arguing that the athlete’s death was “completely avoidable.”

“If Defendants had followed well-established, well-known practices to protect athletes who have sickle cell trait, CJ would still be alive today,” the lawsuit states.

Dickey and some of his freshman teammates were told to do the “up-downs” on the first day of practice as punishment for not doing drills the correct way, according to the lawsuit. Also known as “burpees,” the exercise is where a person jumps to the ground face down and then comes back to a standing position repeatedly.

Michael Caspino, a lawyer for the family, said in a news conference announcing the lawsuit that athletes who have sickle-cell trait are not supposed to be worked out hard on their first day of practice.

“They are to be eased into their practice regiment,” he said. “Otherwise, they can get rhabdomyolysis.”

Kulbis served as head football strength and conditioning coach for the university for about six years, according to his LinkedIn profile. He left in January 2025, about six months after Dickey’s death.

Sickle-cell trait, which is diagnosed through a blood test, doesn’t usually affect people’s daily lives. But it can cause decreased blood flow and muscle breakdown after intense exertion, dehydration or high body temperatures. In very rare cases, that can result in collapse and death.

The NCAA requires new athletes be tested for sickle-cell trait. Its website states that the trait only becomes a threat in rare situations when “athletes push the limits of their physical conditioning.”

“Coaches should conduct appropriate sport-specific conditioning based on sound scientific principles and be ready to intervene when student-athletes show signs of distress,” the NCAA’s website states.

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Today’s top stories

Democrat Graham Platner announced last night that he has ended his U.S. Senate campaign in Maine. The politician faced pressure from party leaders to end his bid after one of his former girlfriends accused him of rape. He denies this allegation. In a video, Platner said his decision to drop out was not an admission of guilt and instead blamed a “political system not built for normal people.” Now the race is on for Democrats to find a new candidate to replace Platner before the state’s July 27 deadline to name someone new.

• 🎧 Many Democrats see this race as vital for regaining control of the Senate, as they see Maine’s long-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins as a beatable opponent, NPR’s Elena Moore tells Up First. Maine’s Democratic Party is planning a nominating convention to select someone new to run in the race. Platner appealed to his supporters by promising political change and addressing issues such as affordability. Moore says that many of Platner’s supporters, frustrated with the political establishment, hope the new candidate will continue the momentum he sought to create. Strategists have told Moore that it is possible for a more experienced candidate who is free from scandal to campaign on key issues Platner addressed, even if they are not as far to the left as he is.

Overnight, the U.S. launched strikes on southern Iran, targeting around 90 military sites along the coast and the vital Strait of Hormuz, according to the U.S. Central Command. In retaliation, Iran launched air attacks in Kuwait and Bahrain against U.S. military installations. Kuwait’s military reported intercepting missiles and drones. Countries in the Middle East are on high alert as they brace for the possibility of further conflict in the region.

• 🎧 The situation surrounding the talks to end the war in Iran remains uncertain, says NPR’s Emily Feng, who is in Israel. Both the U.S. and Iran are seemingly waiting for the other to back down first, she adds. The Israeli military forces are at “full readiness” for war again with Iran, according to Israeli media. Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz abruptly canceled a public event to hold an emergency security meeting. While the Israeli government generally backs the United States’ decision to strike Iran again, Feng says there is still significant ambiguity over what the U.S.’s ultimate objectives are with the latest series of strikes.
• 🎧 Yesterday, President Trump took a sharp turn in his view of Iranian leaders, whom he recently hailed as courageous people eager to steer their country toward a brighter future. At the NATO summit in Turkey, he instead criticized those leaders, accusing them of dishonesty and of failing to keep their ceasefire commitments. NPR’s Franco Ordoñez says Trump’s rhetoric is part of a familiar pattern, which he displays when he prematurely declares that the war is over or swings between admiration and aggression within hours. In his quest to end the conflict with Iran, Trump’s approach has been to weave together threats and diplomacy, according to Ordoñez. But when the president makes threats, such as saying he doesn’t want to make a deal with Iran, people don’t know whether he plans to follow through or if it is just a negotiating tactic.

The family of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, who was found dead on Horn Island off the coast of Mississippi after a Fourth of July getaway with friends, has enlisted the help of civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. It’s still a mystery why Wells, last seen at the northwest tip of the island around 3 p.m. on July 4, was the only one from his group who didn’t return. The case has garnered national attention online. Crump announced that his office will conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances of Wells’ death. In a recent interview with Don Lemon, Crump said that officials have yet to inform the family about any suspicions of foul play. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is calling for people to submit any photos or videos that could help determine what happened the day Wells went missing as they continue their investigation. Here’s what we know about the case so far.

Life advice

Summer can be an exciting time for adventure, but it has some risks. Extreme heat, tempting open bodies of water and outdoor critters can all prove deadly. But don’t let that hold you back from having fun. Here are proactive ways to keep yourself safe this season:

• 🏖️ Assign a sober, attentive adult as a “water-watcher” to supervise the water and the children in it.
• 🏖️ Cover as much skin as possible when you’re outdoors in areas where ticks thrive, like the Northeast. When hiking, stick to the trails and avoid tall grass. Ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme.
• 🏖️ Make sure to read your grill’s manual to set it up securely and prevent fire accidents. Remember, keep your grill away from the side of your house, under patio roofs or beneath someone else’s balcony.

For additional guidance for how to stay safe and healthy this summer, listen to this episode of NPR’s Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.

Picture show

A determined family is taking on a challenge like no other: resurrecting a town. Primm, Nevada, was once a bustling, family-friendly casino hotspot. But it has experienced a steep decline and has gradually become a ghost town as more casino options have emerged across the United States. In the 1990s and 2000s, Primm attracted visitors with affordable accommodations, gambling, concerts, rodeos and attractions like a roller coaster. Since then, that ride has shut down, and two of the town’s three hotels have closed in recent years. The once-thriving outlet mall now features only a single thrift store. When the Primm family learned that the last operating casino-hotel, Primm Valley Resort & Casino, was on the brink of closure, they joined forces with the Nevada-based convenience store chain Terrible’s to breathe new life into this fading town. Take a look at how the town stands today.

3 things to know before you go

1. A federal appeals court yesterday denied Trump’s request to restore his name on the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
2. Last week, the Supreme Court justices quietly released their annual financial reports, giving us a glimpse into their earnings.
3. In this week’s edition of Far-Flung Postcards, NPR’s Emily Feng sends greetings from the Deir Mar Musa monastery in Syria, where she discovered a singular mulberry tree that held the best fruit she says she has ever tasted.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.