Olivia Dunne, an LSU gymnast, has become a social media sensation and a sought-after brand ambassador, earning millions in NIL deals. She is now setting her sights on using her platform to inspire and support other female college athletes.
Olivia Dunne, an LSU gymnast, has experienced a dramatic rise in popularity over the past few years, largely thanks to social media. Dunne began sharing videos on TikTok around 2020, initially showcasing her exceptional gymnastics skills. However, her content eventually evolved, and she began sharing more elements of her life outside of the gym. The videos of Dunne dancing and performing skits seemed to boost her following on the platform.
Dunne's popularity has made her a highly sought-after ambassador for several brands. She has raked in millions in name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. In July, Dunne announced that she would be returning to college for a fifth season, writing on social media that she's "not Dunne yet."
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne's meteoric rise to fame on and off the mat
While Dunne is gearing up for another season of competition at the NCAA level, she is also keeping her eye on the future. She has pointed to her feature in Sports Illustrated last year as an opportunity that has the potential to propel her career once she leaves Baton Rouge.
"I feel like [Sports Illustrated] is something that can last beyond college," Dunne told the New York Post. "I think that's important, creating a substantial brand that will last post-college. And [SI Swim] is one of those, I don't even want to call it a partnership because they're like family to me. That's been amazing."
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne's meteoric rise to fame on and off the mat
Dunne also mentioned that she hopes her success with NIL inspires the next generation of female college athletes. She has created the Livvy Fund, which focuses on guiding female student-athletes at LSU as they seek NIL deals.
"Girls don't know where to start," Dunne said. "Because that's sometimes half the battle. And it's very important to capitalize on your NIL while you're in college if you're a female because there's not a lot of professional leagues after college for most women's sports."
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne's meteoric rise to fame on and off the mat
"So, I definitely want to do something [in NIL] overall after I'm done at LSU. And hopefully expand beyond LSU and help educate people and just help girls out. ... I've always loved sports. So, definitely something in the sports realm."
Dunne is one of the athletes featured in Prime Video's six-part docuseries "The Money Game," which explores how LSU stars navigate the NIL era. In addition to Dunne, former LSU quarterback and current Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, Tigers basketball star Flau'jae Johnson, WNBA star Angel Reese, and others are also highlighted in the limited series.
Dunne said the docuseries shows viewers a side of her life that is noticeably less glamorous than what she presents on social media.
"I feel like social media really can be glamorized and it can make your life look really glamorous, when it's not like that at all times," she said. "That was raw emotion. I think that's what viewers want to see. They want that inside look on how we balance athletics, school and now NIL."
Dunne added that refusing to settle is cemented in her mentality, while she also remains optimistic about the future.
"We have the mindset where you just never settle. We just want what's next. We're just excited for the future constantly. I feel like that's a blessing and a curse at the same time," she said.
Established brands like Raising Cane's, American Eagle, Nautica and Microsoft are among the companies that have partnered with the star gymnast. Dunne has more than 5 million Instagram followers, in addition to her 8.1 million TikTok followers. She is dating Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes.
