An Epic EVOlution! EVO Invests In A Collective Dream

Features Sneak Peek!

Inside Gymnastics went in-depth with EVO Executive Director Kevin Mazeika and interviewed eight senior athletes for this very special behind-the-scenes look. You can see more with all of them right here 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

Team With A Dream

At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Asher Hong, Paul Juda, Brody Malone, Stephen Nedoroscik, and Frederick Richard hit 18- for-18 routines and landed on the podium, winning the first team medal for the U.S. men’s team since the 2008 team captured bronze. A little over a year later, Malone captured his second world title on high bar at the 2025 World Championships, adding to the gold he won in 2022.

Writing the story of the year and creating a global sensation was his U.S. teammate Donnell Whittenburg, who in his sixth world championship at age 31, won gold on still rings. And in the same arena, Patty Hoopes won bronze on pommel horse, while world championship rookie Kameron Nelson made floor finals, placing 4th in his first-ever appearance. Together, these athletes are championing a collective dream to elevate men’s gymnastics in the United States to new heights and raise the sport’s profile.

With an eye on team gold in LA 2028, the medal possibilities for this team are more than just dream, they’re very, very real.

The EVOlution

Inside the 40,000+ square gym in Sarasota, Florida, the next generation and the world are taking notice. Success breeds success, and every athlete is working towards making Team USA its very best. At EVO Gymnastics, with team veterans training alongside a group of rising stars, each day brings a new level of excellence and the opportunity for the athletes to push themselves beyond where they ever believed they could go. All by design.

Home-base to Malone, Whittenburg, Nedoroscik, and Nelson, EVO provides state-of-the-art equipment and systems for physical therapy, wellness, and recovery to promote longevity in the sport, along with the unique opportunity for funding in order to train full-time as professional gymnasts. The current EVO roster also includes 2020 Olympian Shane Wiskus, 2020 Olympic alternate Alex Diab, rising stars Danila Leykin and Josh Karnes, who recently won gold with Team USA at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge, Penn State standout Michael Jaroh, and fan-favorite, 2026 Winter Cup bronze medalist on vault, Jackson Harrison. A lineup of world-class coaches, including Syque Caesar, Sam Mikulak, Sergei Pakanich, helps lead the men’s team.

Each athlete traveled a markedly different path in their career prior to landing at EVO. Currently, eight are fully funded. Whether they arrived from the NCAA, GymAct, the former USOPTC training center, a club program, or all of the above, inside EVO, egos are left at the door. Likewise, whether you’re an Olympic medalist, World Champion, or up-and-comer, the playing field is equal. Everyone puts in the work, and everyone supports each other.

With many in the sport waiting and wondering whether it would work, nearly five years in, what EVO set out to accomplish is evident in the results and already exceeding the expectations of Executive Director Kevin Mazeika. “We needed an opportunity for athletes to train, solely focusing on their job of being the best gymnast they can be,” Mazeika told Inside. “The post-collegiate athletes or non-NCAA athletes needed a place to be. It was tough [in the beginning]. I mean, it still is. Olympic sports don’t get the funding or support that they need. We’re constantly pushing, and yet, we’re not going to let our goals be deterred by having to do the extra. We need to raise funds and keep working on sponsors. It’s hard, but I think it’s worth it. This collective dream, it really does create an energy.”

See the full story and profiles with the team in the current issue of Inside Gymnastics magazine! Click Here to Order!

THE LINEUP

28 An Epic EVOlution: EVO Invests In A Collective Dream

BY CHRISTY SANDMAIER, NATE SALSMAN AND SARAHY MORA RINCON

Inside Gymnastics went in-depth with EVO Executive Director Kevin Mazeika and eight senior athletes—Brody Malone, Donnell Whittenburg, Stephen Nedoroscik, Kameron Nelson, Alex Diab, Danila Leykin, Jackson Harrison and Michael Jaroh for this very special behind-the-scenes look at the EVOlution!

45 The Alysa Liu Effect BY KATHY JOHNSON CLARKE

In this special Inside Take, we explore the “Alysa Liu Effect,” and how the Olympic gold medalist’s mindset and outlook are creating a ripple phenomenon across sports, including gymnastics.

49 Gymnastics Without an Expiration Date: Inside the Growing NAIGC Movement

BY SARAHY MORA RINCON

Across college campuses and communities around the country, the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC) offers a different path — one where gymnastics doesn’t have to end after high school or the Elite pipeline. We take a deeper dive!

51 Meet Inside Gymnastics Classic Level 10 Champion, Maria Szczepanski

BY SARAHY MORA RINCON

For 16-year-old Maria Szczepanski, winning the Level 10 title at the Inside Gymnastics Classic wasn’t just about the score. It was about everything it took to get there.

12 Picture Perfect Hashimoto Daiki (JPN)

27 Freeze Frame Hezly Rivera (USA)

46 Gators Win! A look back in pictures at the 2026 SEC Champions!

63 Final Dismount Michael Jaroh (USA/Penn State)

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• Inside Buzz 
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• Shannon Says
• In The Know With John Roethlisberger
• Industry Insider
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