The men's gymnastics team, the 2019 Big Ten Champions, will end their season at the NCAA Championships this weekend. After a season of uncertainty, junior Stephen Nedoroscik is immensely proud of the Nittany Lions pulled through for a conference title.
"The team we have this year is phenomenal," Nedoroscik said. "As soon as we trusted ourselves, more than anything we were able to be an unbeatable team."
Nedoroscik already has a lot of success under his belt, with two NCAA pommel horse titles, a 2018 Academic All-Big Ten honor and a recent sixth place finish in the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Doha, Qatar. While he has already accomplished more than most gymnasts in an entire career, he still has one season left with Penn State.
His goal going into next season is to become an even fiercer competitor by increasing his routine's difficulty. Competing in Doha gave him a new perspective on the pommel horse talent throughout the world.
"To see, quite literally, the best pommel horse guys in the world, it kind of wakes you up," Nedoroscik said. "I need to make some upgrades before I can challenge these guys."
Head coach Randy Jepson plans to help Nedoroscik increase his start value during training in the summer. Start value and difficulty are what will put Nedoroscik above the rest.
"He is cleaner and sharper than everyone else," Jepson said.
Jepson appreciates Nedoroscik's ability to take correction in training. Nedoroscik will be given a correction or area to improve, and immediately on his next turn he will make the adjustment.
"Olympic champions I've had over the years have been very coachable, and Stephen is coachable," Jepson said.
Even after competing at such a high level, Nedoroscik is a perfectionist who is still open to correction and improvement.
Nedoroscik's perfectionism rubs off on his teammates. He helps his fellow pommel horse teammates perform to the best of their ability by offering encouragement and correction. Jepson has seen Nedoroscik step up as more of a vocal leader on the team this season.
"I think I almost annoy people with how often I give corrections," Nedoroscik said. "I'm the type of guy that watches every turn and puts effort into fixing everything possible. I treat my teammates as I treat myself."
Freshman Nick Mock and other teammates look to Nedoroscik for advice on their routines, and he said training alongside Nedoroscik increased his confidence competing collegiately.
"He definitely inspires us to always do our best," Mock said. "He's always challenging us to little competitions to help us improve."
One of Nedoroscik's defining qualities is his light-heartedness, an attitude Jepson considers an asset to the team. Nedoroscik is at his best when he is having fun, and Jepson hopes to see him continue his positivity transitioning into next season. Fun never interferes with Nedoroscik's competitiveness though.
"He can zero in at a moment's notice," Jepson said. "He sees his ability to have influence on those around him."
When it comes time to zero in prior to competition, Nedoroscik has his own pre-routine ritual. Before a routine, Nedoroscik mumbles positive affirmations to himself, getting into a winning mindset. Nerves are not a primary issue for Nedoroscik in competition, and he is typically excited to perform.
The group of pommel horse competitors in Blue and White have worked well together throughout the season, and their performance at the Big Ten Championships to show the conference how much they have to offer.
"The pommel guys have gelled together," Jepson said. "I'm seeing things that are hopefully being passed down through generations."
