Stephen Nedoroscik: From Pommel Horse Specialist to Engineering Graduate

Stephen John Nedoroscik OLY (born October 28, 1998) is an American artistic gymnast who has captured the hearts of fans with his exceptional skills on the pommel horse. Beyond his athletic achievements, Nedoroscik's academic background reveals a well-rounded individual with a passion for engineering.

Early Life and Introduction to Gymnastics

Nedoroscik's journey into gymnastics began in 2003. As a young child, his propensity for climbing walls and furniture earned him the nickname "spider monkey." His parents, Cheryl and John Nedoroscik, decided to channel his boundless energy into sports, leading them to a local gym. On his first day, Nedoroscik climbed a rope all the way to the top, which led to an invitation to join the gymnastics team, setting the stage for his future success.

Focusing on the Pommel Horse

Nedoroscik initially competed on all apparatuses, but around high school, he noticed that he was progressing only on pommel horse and decided to specialize in that event.

College Career at Penn State

The 25-year-old competed for the Penn State Nittany Lions, starting in 2017 and graduated in 2020 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Throughout his college career, he achieved numerous accolades, including the 2020 Nissen-Emery Award and was an All-Big Ten honoree, according to his Penn State bio.

Collegiate Gymnastics Achievements

During his time at Penn State, Nedoroscik consistently demonstrated his prowess on the pommel horse. His achievements include:

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2017: Picked up first victory with a 14.500 at Springfield. He also scored a 14.350 on pommel horse for the victory at Illinois. Finished second with a score of 14.800 at Ohio State. Tied for first with a 14.600 at Iowa. Took fifth with a score of 14.300 at Big Ten Championships.
2018: Took first with a season-best score of 15.000 at West Point Open. Won with a score of 14.300 at Army West Point. Placed third on pommel horse at Illinois. Finished in second place with a score of 14.800 at Ohio State. Scored 14.800 to take fourth at Winter Cup. Won with a score of 14.850 at Arizona State. Won with a score of 14.100 at Nebraska. Tied for first with a score of 14.450 at Michigan. Won the Big Ten title with a score of 14.475 at Big Ten Championships.
2019: Took first on pommel horse in both the team competition (15.500) and individual competition (14.800) at Army West Point Open. Finished third at Army West Point. Finished first with a score of 15.350 at Ohio State. Posted the highest pommel horse (15.900) score in the nation in over five years while taking first at Air Force. Recorded a 14.850 to post the top score during the team portion of the event at Army. Won with a score of 14.350 at Nebraska. Won on pommel horse with a score of 15.150 in the prelims and 15.000 in the finals at Winter Cup. Won with a score of 15.250 at Air Force/Navy. Won with a score of 14.800 at Arizona State Invitational. Won with a score of 14.850 at Michigan/Illinois. Finished second with a score of 14.850 at Big Ten Championships and Scored 14.950 during the team competition.

Elite Gymnastics Career

Following his graduation from Penn State, Nedoroscik continued to compete and became an expert in the pommel horse.

2018: Nedoroscik began the 2018 season competing at the Winter Cup Challenge and placed fourth on the pommel horse.
2019: Nedoroscik competed at the 2019 Winter Cup and placed first on the pommel horse, winning his first elite-level title. Nedoroscik and Alex Diab were selected to compete at the World University Games, where Nedoroscik finished thirteenth during qualification and did not advance to the pommel horse final. At the National Championships, Nedoroscik placed first on pommel horse and won his first elite-level national title, qualifying him to compete at the 2020 Olympic Trials.
2021: At the Olympic Trials Nedoroscik fell on the first day of competition. He was named one of the six members after posting scores of 14.8 and 15.5 during the two days of competition. At the 2021 World Championships, Nedoroscik qualified to the pommel horse final in second place, behind Weng Hao of China. During the final, he bested both Weng and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Kazuma Kaya to win the world title, marking the United States' first world title on pommel horse and the first gold medal won by an American male artistic gymnast since 2011.
2022: At the National Championships, where he won his second consecutive national title on the pommel horse. He was named to the team to compete at the 2022 World Championships alongside Brody Malone, Asher Hong, Colt Walker, and Donnell Whittenburg. During qualifications, Nedoroscik finished second on pommel horse and qualified for the event final.
2023: Nedoroscik competed at the Winter Cup, placing third on pommel horse behind Ian Skirkey and Ignacio Yockers. At the Pan American Games, Nedoroscik helped the United States win team gold. At the National Championships, Nedoroscik won the national title for the pommel horse, leading to his selection for the 2024 United States national team and his qualification to compete at the 2024 US Olympic Trials.

2024 Paris Olympics

Nedoroscik qualified for the Paris Olympics earlier this year, making history as the only American gymnast to qualify as a single-event specialist.

During the Men's Team Finals on Monday, July 29, he waited for his turn on the pommel horse at the very end of the rotations. Nedoroscik wowed the crowds with his incredible strength and agility. His efforts on the pommel horse ultimately helped Team USA secure a spot on the podium. The last time the men's gymnastics team won a medal was at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where they won the bronze in the men's team finals.

Nedoroscik had his second turn in the spotlight when he competed in the individual apparatus event on Saturday. The competition was close but the 25-year-old ultimately took the bronze in the pommel horse event thanks to a score of 15.333.

During qualifications at the Olympic Games, Nedoroscik qualified for the pommel horse final in second place, behind Rhys McClenaghan. They both scored 15.200; however, McClenaghan advanced to the final as the top-ranked gymnast based on his higher execution score. Additionally, he helped Team USA qualify to the team final in fifth place. Due to this fifth-place ranking, the United States started the team final competing on still rings and would finish on pommel horse.

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"Clark Kent of the Pommel Horse"

Following his performance on the pommel horse, fans immediately began to call Stephen the "Clark Kent of the pommel horse," a fitting comparison judging by NBC Olympics' post on X.

He told TODAY's Hoda Kotb, "When I go up on the pommel horse, it’s all about feeling the equipment. I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics. It’s all in the hands - I can feel everything.” And while he could technically wear glasses on the pommel horse, he said it's useless because they will just "fly somewhere."

Vision Impairments

Nedoroscik lives with a condition called strabismus, which means his eyes are misaligned, causing them to often look in different directions. It’s the reason why Nedoroscik wears those super thick glasses.

Beyond Gymnastics: Mechanical Engineering

Outside of gymnastics, Nedoroscik graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2020 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Despite his demanding training schedule, he pursued his academic interests, showcasing his commitment to both athletics and academics.

Relationship with Tess McCracken

Stephen's girlfriend is officially named Tess McCracken. Stephen and Tess met when they were both competing for Penn State University's gymnastics team and have been dating for eight years, she told NBC News. At Penn State, McCracken was also a competitive gymnast, specializing in the uneven bars.

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Media Appearances

Nedoroscik appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on the August 13, 2024 episode. The following day, he appeared on the Today Show with b-boy Victor Montalvo, and Watch What Happens Live! Nedoroscik and his family appeared on the September 11, 2025 episode of Celebrity Family Feud where they competed against fellow 2024 Olympian Jordan Chiles and her family and won $25k for Penn State Health.

Dancing with the Stars

Nedoroscik was initially set to perform in the 2024 Gold Over America Tour, but withdrew to participate in season 33 of Dancing with the Stars. He was the first male gymnast to compete in the series, and was partnered with professional dancer Rylee Arnold. They reached the finale and finished in fourth place on November 26, 2024. Nedoroscik co-hosted the Dancing with the Stars: Live!

Personality and Character

Nedoroscik has been described as humble and down-to-earth. Michael Meagher, one of his high school teachers, said, "I remember a story: Senior year, he's always in school, never missing a day, he's missed two or three in a row, and he came back to school. I said, 'Stephen, where the heck have you been?' And he said, 'I was at the Junior Olympics.' I said, 'come on … doing what?

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