Penn State's Stephen Nedoroscik Helps Team USA to Bronze at Paris Olympics

USA men's gymnastics wins its first Olympic team medal since 2008. The former Nittany Lion clinches it on the pommel horse.

Stephen Nedoroscik reacts with teammates after he performs on the pommel horse during the men’s team final during the 2024 Paris Olympics. / James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State's Stephen Nedoroscik went to the Paris Olympics with one purpose: to give the U.S. men's gymnastics team a medal-winning pommel horse routine. Nedoroscik delivered Monday, helping Team USA to the bronze medal, its first in men's gymnastics team competition since 2008.

In the final event for the U.S., Nedoroscik scored a 14.866 to clinch Team USA's place on the podium. Afterward, Nedoroscik, the 2021 world pommel horse champion, participated in a cathartic celebration with his U.S. teammates.

"It was just the greatest moment of my life," Nedoroscik said after the event, according to USA Today.

Nedoroscik, 25, is a first-time Olympian who made the U.S. men's gymnastics team as a single-event specialist. He will compete in the made the U.S. men's gymnastics team as a single-event specialist. He will compete in the individual finals later this week but first faced a pressurized spot. Nedoroscik's pommel horse routine would determine whether Team USA won a medal, and he nailed it.

“I knew he had it as soon as I saw him take the podium and do his arm swings and take his warmup,” Penn State men's gymnastics coach Randy Jepson said in a statement. “It’s just all about the first circle he does and as soon as he got that I knew his tempo was right and he was off to the races. I couldn’t be happier for Penn State’s second bronze medalist at the Olympics.”

Stephen Nedoroscik had to score big on pommel horse for Team USA in the last rotation…

AND HE DID. 🤯

📺: NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/hkhiHpovyh

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 29, 2024

Nedoroscik, who graduated from Penn State with a degree in electrical engineering, competed for the Nittany Lions from 2016-2020. He was a two-time NCAA champion on the pommel horse in 2017-18 and was a four-time All-American. In 2020, Nedoroscik became the first specialist to win the Nissen-Emery Award as the nation’s top senior gymnast. He was pursuing his third NCAA title on pommel horse when the championships were canceled.

Nedoroscik will compete for an individual medal on the pommel horse later this week.

OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALISTS! 🥉

For the first time since 2008, the U.S. Men are taking home hardware in the Olympic Team Competition! Congratulations to Asher, Paul, Brody, Stephen & Frederick - you are Olympic Medalists! pic.twitter.com/sodNiW76Ut

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 29, 2024

a moment you will remember for the rest of your life 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/HHlcrxl2r4

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 29, 2024

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