Civil lawsuit filed against former Oklahoma high school wrestlers

NORMAN, Okla. — A civil lawsuit has been filed in Garvin County, Oklahoma alleging three former Norman North High School wrestlers, former coaches and Norman Public School officials “fostered an environment of hazing and assault within its wrestling program.”

The civil suit names former wrestlers Tanner Shipman, Chase Smith and Sage Gandenberger and was filed on behalf on one of the alleged victims of an incident that occurred on an NPS bus in January of 2016. The Norman North wrestling team was leaving a meet in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma when two students, aged 16 and 12, were allegedly restrained and sexually assaulted.

Four wrestlers faced criminal charges in Garvin County following the incident; charges against three of them were dismissed. A fourth, Shipman, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor assault and battery charges and, as part of a plea deal, received a six-month deferred sentence set to end Sept. 30.

The civil lawsuit, filed on July 21, claims there was a practice of hazing within the Norman North wrestling program.

“NPS has fostered a known environment of hazing and assault within its wrestling program,” the lawsuit read. “For years NPS wrestlers have engaged in a form of hazing and initiation which wrestlers called ‘donchee.’ The term was known to NPS wrestlers and coaches. The term ‘donchee’ was used to describe a form of hazing whereby NPS wrestlers would restrain another wrestler while others would penetrate the restrained wrestler’s anus with their fingers.”

Lawsuit documents claim a psychologist who evaluated three of the four teen defendants in the criminal cases concluded these young men did not view their actions as an assault but instead an initiation “tradition” within the wrestling program. The lawsuit claims the two wrestlers were “sexually assaulted, hazed and battered.”

Norman Public Schools could not be be reached for comment by the time this story was posted.

Slinkard writes for the Norman, Oklahoma Transcript. Barry Porterfield of the Pauls Valley Democrat contributed to this story.

Local News

BBB: How to recognize phony debt collection calls and texts 

Local News

Monthly real estate market update for Lake Oconee area – January 2025

Columns

Columns

ON THE MARKET: Complacency

Local News

Putnam native, aspiring Broadway director takes on first with ‘The Color Purple’ production

Local News

Rotary Week 51 raffle winner

Local News

Rotary Week 50 raffle winner

Local News

Piedmont Athens Regional Beautiful You Boutique receives reaccreditation

Local News

Greene Chamber of Commerce welcomes Jessi Lynch

Local News

Outdoor Innovations of Georgia joins as sponsor for the 2025 Heart and Soul Gala

Local News

BBB offers tips on choosing a tax preparer

News

Rotary Club announces Greene County STAR student

Local News

Rotary Week 49 raffle winner

Local News

Rotary Week 48 raffle

Local News

Rotary Club honors January 2025 Students-of-the-Month

Columns

PATHWAYS TO HEALING: Brain health

Local News

PAPA announces ‘On Golden Pond’ auditions

Local News

Our Father’s Kitchen: Serving the Community with Love and Nourishment every Saturday

Local News

OPAS celebrates thrilling fall season and announces exciting Mardi Gras event

Local News

Harbor Club real estate sales climb to $71M in 2024

Local News

Greene Chamber of Commerce welcomes Gracefully Baked Bread Company

Local News

CGTC appoints Brittany Lucas to VP of Adult Education

Local News

Alliance Home and Land Group, Keller Williams joins as sponsor of the 2025 Heart and Soul Gala

Local News

BBB: How to recognize phony debt collection calls and texts