AN EPIC EVO-LUTION
Inside Gymnastics went in-depth with EVO Executive Director Kevin Mazeika and interviewed eight senior athletes in our April issue of Inside Gymnastics magazine for this very special behind-the-scenes look. You can see more with all of them on InsideGym.com, across our social media @InsideGym and on our Inside Gymnastics YouTube channel.
Christy Sandmaier, Nate Salsman, and Sarahy Mora Rincon contributed to “An Epic EVOlution.”
Photos by Michael Jaroh; Ricardo Bufolin and Lloyd Smith
“Our Mission is for Team USA.”
Coming off the Olympic Games, most athletes take a step back. Stephen Nedoroscik never really did.
“The Olympics was awesome. It was more than anything I could have ever imagined,” he said.
What followed was a blur—competing on Dancing with the Stars, a national tour, and a schedule that left little room to slow down. Still, even in the middle of it all, gymnastics never fully left his routine. Backstage, between shows, he was doing flares and circles whenever he could—small moments that kept him connected to the sport he clearly wasn’t ready to step away from.
“I was itching to get back,” he said.
That energy carried him straight back into training with his sights set on a 2025 return. But the transition from Olympic high to comeback season wasn’t seamless. What started as hip discomfort gradually became something more serious as he pushed through it, culminating in a performance at the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Championships in August that didn’t reflect what he knew he was capable of. The answer came soon after: a full labral tear that required surgery.
It’s the kind of moment that could slow things down—but if anything, it seems to have sharpened his focus. “There are a lot more eyes on me than there were in the past,” he said. “But at USAs, when I competed, it felt exactly the same. You walk up to that pommel horse, you salute, and you do your job.”
That mindset hasn’t changed, even now.
“Mentally, I’ve handled it very well… I’m ready to get back out to competitions—I cannot wait to get back out there,” he said with a smile.
At EVO, Nedoroscik is part of a group of Olympians, world champions, and athletes all working toward the same goal. The level is high, but the environment doesn’t feel overly intense, something that comes across immediately when he talks about it.
“The vibes are pretty loose… we’re experimenting with our gymnastics,” he said.
What defines his time at EVO isn’t just the level of talent, but the dynamic within the group, something he talks about with the same energy he brings to training. It’s competitive, but not rigid, an environment where Nedoroscik fits in naturally and where enjoyment carries just as much weight as performance.
“It’s kind of fun,” he said. “Shane will bring in his own Minnesota rules to some game that we’re playing, or me and Josh Karnes will have our own Penn State inside jokes… At EVO, we’re a tight-knit team, but instead of our mission being for Penn State or Ohio State, our mission is for Team USA, so it carries a little bit more weight to it.”
That balance—serious goals, but not taking everything too seriously—is something Nedoroscik leans into. It shows not just in how he trains, but in how he talks about the people around him. “Look out for these junior guys that we’re raising, because unbelievable talent. I’ve never seen a more talented group of juniors.”
Halfway through the current Olympic cycle, he hasn’t yet had the chance to represent Team USA this quad. But instead of overthinking it, he’s keeping his focus simple: build, enjoy the process, and be ready when the opportunity comes.
“It’s kind of my redemption arc,” he said.
More than anything, though, his mindset has shifted. It’s not just about getting back—it’s about how he gets there. “The only thing that I’m echoing in my head is, don’t let this become work. Continue to enjoy what you do, and the success will follow.”
And that’s what defines this version of Nedoroscik. Not just the results, or even the comeback, but the way he’s choosing to approach it. Because for him, it’s still about doing what he loves—and actually enjoying it along the way.
For More:
Alex Diab: “We Wanted The Best. We Wanted To Represent EVO.”
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