(chill music) - He has been a gem, a terrific student for us, a great teammate, very coachable and obviously an outstanding talent.

- I am a Penn State alumni who graduated with a degree in electrical engineering.

And I'm also on the USA national team for men's gymnastics, where I specialize on pommel horse.

- You know, that's been outstanding, the fact that Stephen stayed on here after his degree was earned, and continued to train for the US national team.

Come on, sweet, sweet.

- The guys know that they've got one of the best guys, not just in the history of the NCAA, but in the world.

- Stephen's a machine, he definitely motivates the entire pommel squad.

- It's incredible, he's like a mentor to me.

He's constantly giving me tips and helping me out.

- So when I do it in my routine, I won't have to think about it.

- We can watch him and have like a visual understanding of how the skill is supposed to be performed like, to perfection.

- So by him just staying here, wanting to better the team, just being in his presence he'll better you, when you're around greatness, right?

- [Interviewer] What is it about the horse that creates a brotherhood?

Seems like the horse guys are like their own thing.

- The horse guys are their own thing.

And that just comes down to horse people.

(laughs) They're usually an engineer or someone who's smart, goofy.

What also helps is having, you know other goofy and smart guys on pommel horse.

It's like we've cultivated our own culture on pommel horse!

- [Narrator] All of the events in men's gymnastics require a great deal of strength, flexibility, and skill.

But the pommel horse is widely considered the most difficult.

- I think the thing that's most difficult about mastering pommel horse is the fact that you have constant dynamic motion.

You're not allowed to have any interruption in that motion.

You have to be artistic, and you gotta do a lot of really hard stuff.

- Let's go, Steve!

- I can describe the action or how it feels to me.

(bright music) When I'm doing a circle, what it feels like is I'm teeter tottering, my weight is going back and forth from one arm posting to the next.

And it's a very precise amount of push I have to give each time because I want my center of mass to land over my hand, and then the next, and then the next.

(bright music) All it takes is a very small break, whether that's in your legs, your hips, your hand, even your feet sometimes, and you're off the piece of equipment.

- [Crowd] Ooh!

- It's like spinning plates and you know, they get 45 seconds or so to do that.

And then to do it under pressure with a crowd and judges, they only get that one shot.

And that's why everyone hates the pommel horse, yes.

(laughs) (soft piano music) - Stephen had a large repertoire of skills.

He had a very good basic circle, and I knew that there was just a few things that we could work on with him, to have him migrate and excel over time.

(announcer introduces Stephen) - My freshman year was very difficult.

I ended up being an NCAA champion my freshman year.

- [Interviewer] And sophomore year?

- And sophomore year.

- [Announcer] Nedoroscik for the Nittany Lions!

(crowd noise) - I don't think any other program could have made me the pommel specialist that I am today.

So yeah, very grateful for Penn State.

- [Narrator] Freshman year was also the first year Stephen wore the specs.

- Stephen is famous wearing the specs.

- Oh yeah, the specs were a huge thing, once he, you know, started being on top of that podium for horse and always wearing the specs.

(crowd cheering) - I mean, I've only heard it from stories but he got 'em as a secret Santa gift.

And then he never like actually put a prescription in 'em, there's just no prescription.

- They are simply for fun and, y'know, kind of my trademark, I like to have fun out there.

So, that's my thing.

You know, the first time I hit a routine in NCAA, I beat the years previous NCAA champion, and it was the first competition I put the rec specs on.

So from day one of competing with them, they had a little bit of magic to them.

- Well, unfortunately I got a call and they said the season's been canceled.

The NCAAs are over.

And it was devastating, but it's what it was.

- [Narrator] With the onset of COVID 19, Stephen's senior season was cut short, but he kept working.

Turning his focus to international world cup competitions, where, if he won, he could earn his own spot on the US Olympic team.

(upbeat music) - [Coach] He went to Australia, won the first qualifier, and he was really ready to go for the next one as well.

He was probably in the best shape of his life at that point.

(crowd clapping) - I was actually in Azerbaijan for a world cup series event where I could have earned my own spot at the Olympic games.

- So that's what Steve was doing, and then COVID hit.

- I remember watching the television that night, "Tomorrow our borders are gonna be closed.

"Anybody that's abroad should try to get home."

And Stephen, the next day he was gonna compete!

And then all the world cups gonna shut down after that.

- Due to COVID and all the virus stuff, the Olympic trials was the only option.

- The Olympic trials was all that was left after that.

(drum hits) And then he fell day one.

- Pommel horse is tricky, 'cause it's one wrong move, it's one wrong step and game over.

If you fall in the first day of Olympic trials, you're just not gonna go.

- [Interviewer] So are the Olympics still your ultimate goal?

- I wouldn't necessarily say Olympics has ever been an ultimate goal.

I would say an ultimate goal for me has been to be the best gymnast I can be.

And through my lenses I see myself being the best in the world eventually.

- [Narrator] And Stephen would not have to wait long for his chance to prove it.

World championships were coming up next.

So he kept pushing, practicing whenever and wherever he could.

- Let's go!

- He got the top score at the Team USA selection camp and was headed for the 2021 Gymnastics World Championships, but all would not go according to plan.

- So Steve was ready to go to worlds, and then he got really, really sick.

And so we got really worried that he wasn't gonna be able to go.

- It was touch and go as to whether or not we would be able to get on the plane even after we got our passports.

And he could have been held up at the border and sent back, but fortunately he was waved through.

(planes taxiing for takeoff) - [Narrator] So how do you think he did?

(indistinct chatter) (team applauding and cheering) (soft dramatic music swelling) - [Everyone] Whoa!

- Wow - It's awesome, it's awesome.

But at the same time, it's Stephen.

So whether Stephen won or didn't win, he's gonna come in and be the same guy, and he's been that.

And the fact, I guess, that he has that moniker behind his name now, maybe lends a little bit more weight to the people in the gym, but Stephen's who he is.

You know, whether he's an NCAA champion or a US champion, or a world champion, he's never let that stuff get in the way of who he is, which is awesome.