H.S. Wrestler on Trial for "Butt Drag"

A 17-year-old high school wrestler has been expelled from school and charged with sexual battery for using a controversial wrestling move that has been deemed legal for decades.



Preston Hill, a Buchanan High School student from Clovis, Calif., was punished for his use of the "butt drag," in which a wrestler grabs his opponent's butt cheeks and places his finger in the opponent's anus for leverage, according to the Fresno Bee. Hill's trial before the Fresno County Superior Court begins Thursday.

Hill's father said coaches taught his son the "butt drag" when he was in middle school and that it was a common move. The Clovis police, however, said Hill went too far when he inserted his fingers deeply into a freshman teammate at a July 15 practice session. The unidentified freshman's father said Hill targeted his son because the 14-year-old stood up to Hill for bullying. Now Hill's friends who are still in school are bullying the freshman student for speaking up about the encounter in July.



Hill was captain of the team and was up for several college scholarships. He is now being home-schooled and taking additional classes at Center for Advanced Research and Technology in Clovis.



In 2007, South Dakota wrestler Jerome Hunt, then 17, was found guilty and sentenced to probation after being charged with rape for performing the same move on at least six other wrestlers.