The Olympic gymnast has managed to dance his way into America’s heart yet again! Stephen Nedoroscik, who’s currently on Dancing with the Stars, has been the internet favorite since his pommel horse win at the Paris Olympics. It’s been a fever dream since for Stephen. And DTWS is no different! He and his partner, Rylee Arnold, share an undeniable chemistry. A chemistry that has sent the netizens into a speculation spiral. With many even ‘shipping’ the two!

But wait a minute before you go with the flow, let’s set the record straight! Stephen has a long-term girlfriend, Tess McCracken, and he is not shy to put the truth out there. Stephen was recently seen on the Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis, where he spilled all the tea. “Me and Riley, we’re not just like, we’re not just like coach and student,” he said. Wait, so if they do not share a mentorship dynamic, what’s brewing?

Stephen Nedoroscik spoke to the trio on the podcast: “We are friends, and like, Riley has come over to my place, and like, me, Tess, my girlfriend, and Riley will just like play Face 10 with one another or like Codenames. I did teach Tess how to cube like years ago. She’s since forgotten. I taught Riley one algorithm, and she’s very proud of herself for being able to do it.” There you have it, folks. Contrary to popular speculation, it is all fun and games between these three. However, despite the rumors soaring, Stephen and Rylee are unabashedly continuing their adventures.

The two, Rylee Arnold and Stephen Nedoroscik, share a very deep bond built over a mutual respect for each other’s craft. So deep that, by the second week of their friendship, Rylee was on the pommel horse, understanding it. As Stephen himself likes to say, “The fact that we did that sort of like on week two, it was like an immediate mutual respect for one another. I was struggling with dance, she struggled with pommel horse…we were both like, ‘Rile, you’re an incredible athlete,’ and she’s like, ‘You’re an incredible athlete.’” With such camaraderie, it is no surprise that fans were mistaken. But here’s the other thing!

Fanning the fire of speculation, Rylee and Stephen live in the same building! The two seem to unwind together after rehearsals, too. “So, like, literally after we shoot this, we’re both just going to go tan, go to the pool, and just kick it for a little bit before rehearsal,” said Stephen. He went on to disclose the schedule the two follow. A schedule that is quite offbeat from rehearsals.

“We’re going to have rehearsal from 5:00 to 9:00. And that’s usually not the best time for rehearsal, but me and Rylee have found that it’s like 50/50 whether we’re going to go and just like be brain dead or be like Goofy and super fun,” added Stephen. The duo has clearly developed a playful dynamic that has its foundation in teamwork. And not romance! Despite all the chatter, Stephen remains fully committed to Tess. So much so that soon after DWTS, he will return to the place they met!

What’s next for Stephen after the glitz and glam?

While the Dancing with the Stars is at its peak, Stephen Nedoroscik already has plans for what’s coming next. He is all set to return to his gymnastics roots. “As soon as this show is over, I’m immediately going to go back to my alma mater, Penn State, for a quick gymnastics camp,” said Stephen on the podcast. And boy-oh-boy, it is not a great place to restart! After all, Stephen, during his years at Penn State, ruled the pommel horse scene.

During his time at Penn, he won two national championships, four All-American awards, and two-time All-Big Ten honors. If that wasn’t enough, he also won the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2019 and the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honor. By the time he was in his junior year, Stephen was already competing in the Worlds and even won Silver in the 2019 U.S. Championships. This return to his alma mater is a chance to reconnect with the sportsman in him.

With the World Championships right around the corner, Stephen Nedoroscik is pushing his limits and looking to win bigger. As Stephen begins to circle and flair again, the world can’t help but root for him.