In any sport, few bonds are as powerful as the one between a rising star and the veteran who believes in them. Such is the case with Stephen Nedoroscik, America’s pommel horse specialist, and Sam Mikulak, the six-time U.S. all-around champion and three-time Olympian. Their relationship, built on years of training, competition, and mentorship, recently came full circle. Now, Mikulak is celebrating the biggest life update of his own, and Stephen is right there with him to share in the joy.
On June 26, 2025, Olympic gymnast Sam Mikulak announced his engagement to girlfriend Hallie Matthews through a heartfelt Instagram post. The carousel began with a picture of Sam on one knee, proposing to Hallie, who looked joyfully surprised and emotional. Sam was dressed in a vibrant blue floral shirt, white shorts, and white sneakers, while Hallie wore a red mini skirt, black tank top, white sneakers, and Minnie Mouse ears, capturing the magic of a Disney setting.
One of the later photos in the post showed the couple sharing a kiss. Sam captioned the post, “Here’s to our happily ever after! 6-24-25 ”, and fellow gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik quickly congratulated the couple, commenting simply, “Congrats.” But who are they?
Sam Mikulak is a celebrated three-time Olympian, having represented Team USA in London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. Over the years, he’s made his mark across events like floor exercise, pommel horse, parallel bars, and all-around. Following his retirement after Tokyo 2020, he’s remained involved in gymnastics, including coaching and mentoring younger athletes. Hallie Matthews, meanwhile, is a former collegiate gymnast who competed for the University of Pittsburgh. She gained recognition during her NCAA career with the Pitt Panthers and was even honored as Student-Athlete of the Week in February 2022 for top performances in vault, bars, beam, and all-around.
The couple’s relationship became publicly visible in March 2025, though they had likely been together longer. But how does Stephen Nedoroscik and Sam share a strong connection? But how?
Mikulak guides Stephen Nedoroscik to historic Olympic finish
Sam Mikulak and Stephen Nedoroscik have indeed shared a deep and evolving connection within U.S. gymnastics. In 2021, both were officially part of the U.S. men’s senior national team, competing in the same cycle and building camaraderie through national training camps and events. Their bond grew stronger at EVO Gymnastics in Sarasota, Florida, where Mikulak, after retiring from competition, joined the coaching team alongside head coach Syque Caesar. Nedoroscik trained there, benefitting from Mikulak’s experience and leadership.
By 2024, Mikulak wasn’t just a coach; he was named an assistant coach for Team USA’s men’s Olympic squad in Paris, with a special mentoring role during one of the team’s most high-pressure events. That pivotal moment came during the team final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. As Stephen Nedoroscik prepared to mount the pommel horse, Mikulak pulled him aside and gave him simple but powerful advice: “You have to trick yourself… don’t let all the noise get into your head… give 80%.”
The idea was to stay calm and composed, something Mikulak had mastered in his own Olympic career. Nedoroscik delivered a crucial 14.866, helping the U.S. clinch its first men’s team medal since 2008. Afterward, Mikulak told reporters, “I knew he was the one to clinch it in the end,” proudly acknowledging the moment. And since then, a year has passed, Nedoroscik is training for a major comeback at the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta this October.
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