"Stephen Nedoroscik is the only trophy I care about" - Gymnast's girlfriend Tess McCracken pens heartfelt note for him after DWTS Finale

Stephen Nedoroscik's girlfriend Tess McCracken wrote a heartwarming message for the gymnast following the end of his Dancing With The Stars campaign on Tuesday, November 26. He was paired with Rylee Arnold and finished fourth during the finale.

After the Olympic medalist fell short of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in the show's Finale, McCracken shared a heartwarming message for the 26-year-old on Instagram. The former Penn State gymnast said she was proud of Nedoroscik's performance in the show, who made it to the finale after being insecure about his dancing skills:

"He’s the only trophy I care about🖤. Stephen, I’m so proud of how far you’ve come. Watching you throw yourself into dance for the last three months has been so inspiring and I’m honored to have been able to witness your journey. Being at your side through the whirlwind has been nothing short of spectacular🪩."

Earlier during an appearance on Shawn and Andrew Podcasts, the Olympic gymnast Nedoroscik said:

"We pretty much just took our normal life and brought it to LA and although I might be busy for 6 hours, 10 hours a day, whatever happens like we are still us and we still have our relationship, we make everything work." [21:01]

Tess McCracken and Stephen Nedoroscik met in 2017 during their collegiate gymnastics careers at the University of Penn State. The pair interacted during the athlete orientation ceremony for the first time before regular meetings in the classes led them to a romantic relationship.

McCracken accompanied the gymnast to the 2024 Paris Olympics where he won two bronze medals and stayed with him in Los Angeles during his DWTS campaign.

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"I should push my boundaries more" - Stephen Nedoroscik shares learnings from Dancing With The Stars

Stephen Nedoroscik (L) in Los Angeles - November 15, 2024 - Source: Getty

From being insecure about his dancing abilities to earning a perfect score for his final Dancing With The Stars performance, Stephen Nedoroscik learned the benefits of pushing his boundaries. He said (via Extra):

"I think it's just that maybe I should push my boundaries more. You know dancing, I was uncomfortable with it beforehand, and I came into this show thinking I wasn't gonna do well but I did pretty well and I think I can relay that to lot of things in life."

Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold were awarded 29 out of 30 for their first dance on "I'll Be There For You" by The Rembrandts and a perfect 30 for the freestyle performance on "Viva La Vida" by Cold Play. However, the aggregate score of the finale and semifinal was only enough to place them fourth.