Steve Serio

Steve Serio is a 4-time Paralympic athlete and wheelchair basketball player from Westbury, New York. Throughout his career, he has displayed exceptional prowess on the court domestically and internationally. As a co-captain of the USA Men's National Wheelchair Basketball Team, Serio led the American men to their first Paralympic gold medal since 1988 at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games and again at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Serio will return to the 2024 Paralympics in Paris as the co-captain for the USA Men's National Wheelchair Basketball Team and co-flag bearer alongside Nickey Nieves.

At just 11 months, Serio underwent surgery to remove a spinal tumor, which resulted in paraplegia due to the compression of his spinal cord. He was introduced to wheelchair basketball when he was 14 and began his career with the Long Island Lightning during his sophomore year in high school. It wasn't long before he led the team to its first national title, where he was named tournament MVP. Serio continued his successful career at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, playing the position of point guard. In the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, he was recognized as a 2nd Team All-American.

After graduating from Carle Place High School in 2005, Serio took his talents to the New York Rolling Knicks in the NWBA Championship Division. He continued to make a name for himself overseas when he joined RSV Lahn-Dill in Germany, contributing to four German titles and two European Champions Cup titles. Furthermore, he has won multiple gold medals and championships with the US National Team and in professional leagues.

Serio made his first Paralympic appearance with the USA National Team in 2008 in Beijing. He has represented the United States in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Summer Paralympics, winning medals at each of these events. Also, he has successfully competed in multiple Parapan American Games. His impressive portfolio of achievements includes multiple gold medals at the Paralympic Games and World Championships. Serio has been recognized numerous times for his remarkable performances, including being named tournament and championship MVP, recipient of the Best Male Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award in 2017, and a nominee for Team USA Awards’ Male Athlete of the Paralympic Games in 2016.