When you think of high-performance college gymnasts, a few names immediately come to mind: Jillian Hoffman, Riley McCusker, Sunisa Lee, eMjae Frazier, and Helen Hu — to name a few. Another name that comes to mind for many is LSU’s Olivia (Livvy) Dunne, the former USA National Team gymnast turned high-caliber college athlete who has made a name for herself on and off the mat.
Livvy Dunne is also a newly minted member of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and as any athlete will tell you, it’s an honor to be recognized. Dunne was all smiles in behind-the-scenes snaps posted of her time shooting her magazine spread on social media today, and her fans went crazy when they saw a preview of the photos she took.
You see, Dunne doesn’t just have a following in those who love the sport of gymnastics, she’s also marketed herself to be a social media influencer, one with an incredible work ethic that has seen the larger picture since she was just a kid, but we’ll get to that later. For now, Dunne being part of the SI swimsuit issue, has been the talk of the social media realm today, and she deserves her spot.
You can’t mention Livvy Dunne without addressing the controversy that unfairly surrounds her person; even Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day brought it up when the announcement was made that Dunne would be in this year’s swimsuit edition.
“Usually being a D1 athlete, an all-academic, and an industrious entrepreneur is enough to garner respect and accolades, but when you are Livvy Dunne, and you also mix in being arrestingly beautiful, you unfortunately garner the ire and resentment of a certain niche population.”
So just who is Livvy Dunne, what are some of her stats, and why exactly does she attract the “ire and resentment” of a specific part of the internet? As usual, we’ve got you covered.
Who is Olivia (Livvy) Dunne?
Livvy Dunne is an American gymnast who built a massive fan following as first a USA national team member and now a member of the LSU Tiger’s gymnastics team. Dunne is the highest-valued woman’s college athlete as of the year 2022, and her stats keep growing with each meet she participates in. Across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, Dunne has over 11 million followers, and she’s also worked hard for various endorsements from places like American Eagle, TooFaced Cosmetics, and Forever 21, to name a few, to continue giving herself a working environment both on and off the mat.
Dunne has her own website in which she describes herself best as a girl who started gymnastics for the look alone, and honestly, we feel that.
“I started gymnastics when I was three years old because I wanted a sparkly pink leotard. But little did I know what an exciting future was ahead of me. When I was five years old, I was invited to try out for the pre-team at my gym ENA. Once I started competing, I knew I had a passion for the sport.”
In addition to gymnastics, Dunne is also interested in fashion and spending time with friends and loved ones, and she can’t get enough of sports and music. If you scroll through her Instagram, you’ll see several snaps of her playing tennis, golfing, and spending a lot of time in the water. Being a gymnast is a full-body sport, and she stays busy even when she’s not on the mat.
If you ask some in the sports or social media realm, you’ll hear people say she lucked out; she was able to rise to fame because of social media, but there’s so much more to it than that. Dunne has worked for her entire life in a multitude of ways to ensure that she wouldn’t just be successful but that she’d be an influence and icon for young gymnasts who would undeniably look up to her.
What is Livvy Dunne’s net worth?
Livvy Dunne isn’t just a renowned gymnast; she’s also — as we said above — the highest-valued women’s college athlete. The accolade isn’t something that fell into her lap; it’s something she’s strived for and worked hard for, not just in her teenage years but as she grew up.
In June of 2021, the NCAA changed a set of rules that previously didn’t allow college athletes to sell their names, images, or likenesses. With the rule overturned, Dunne began finding opportunities to benefit from the hard work and dedication she’s put into the sport she has cherished since she was three years old. The New York Post shared the following quote from Dunne:
“The NIL rule change has always been a dream of mine, and I didn’t know if it was actually ever going to happen,” Dunne said. “I think it’s great for female student athletes in gymnastics like myself because there is really no professional league after college, so we can capitalize on our opportunities right now. It’s such a special thing. It’s like I’m part of history; all of us student athletes are.”
Of course, Dunne doesn’t just go after endorsements and expect it to be a cakewalk, she works hard even on social media platforms, and she believes that’s one reason she’s found herself on an elevated level in the sports endorsements realm.
“I actually think taking social media so seriously is what separates me in this space,” she began, before recognizing that she’s been putting in the work since she was 10, and it’s all paying off in a massive way. She continued to talk about the rule change, being at the forefront of the movement with other college athletes, and becoming a role model for fans who look up to her for several reasons.
“It’s really amazing to be at the forefront of the start of this new [NIL rule change]. I want to be a role model to young girls and I think it’s really awesome that I am a female in this. I feel like most people expected [male] football and basketball players to get the biggest endorsement deals.”
The rule change and so many of her endorsements in the social media realm did change one thing for Dunne, but it wasn’t something that altered her personality or the way she shared information on her social media platforms. She’s always had a standard she held herself to, but there are specific guidelines that the LSU compliance team looks over for her.
“I always like to keep my social media clean — no cursing or any of that. Before the rule change, I didn’t need any type of permission for what I posted,” said Dunne, who stayed within the NCAA’s guidelines before the rule change. Now, before I post for a brand deal, I send it over to LSU’s compliance, and they’re awesome. The team here is amazing. They give it a look for approval, and then it’s ready to post.”
So what is Dunne’s net worth? Parade notes that it’s anticipated to be nearly 2.3 million dollars.
Livvy Dunne’s SI debut
With all of her success, it is no surprise that Dunne was asked to be part of this year’s SI swimsuit issue and that her snaps are enough to make your jaw drop. Dunne is stunning; that part goes without saying, which is why we didn’t pay a lot of mind to it so far. She is just beautiful, she’s toned, and she’s got a stunning smile; of course, some of that outward beauty is another reason some of her followers are quick to judge her; some Dunne frenemies say that she banks on her sex appeal and uses her platforms as such, but let’s call it like it is: Dunne worked hard for her body, and nothing she posts is classless.
As Dunne said above, she’s done the work and put in the effort to get where she is today, and she’s proud of it.
Day continued speaking about Dunne throughout her SI swimsuit issue model introduction. She said the gymnast is part of a new class of athletes, using her strength and power to show others that anything is possible.
“Livvy is harnessing this newfound power and turning it into a long-term, sustainable brand, growing the sport of collegiate gymnastics and setting an example for athletes of the future of what they are also capable of accomplishing outside of the competitive arena. In a world where women are constantly being forced to pick a lane, Livvy is in all of them, winning. We couldn’t be more excited to feature her on the pages of our 2023 issue.”
Dunne herself calls the whole thing a dream come true, and we imagine she feels like she’s on top of the world right now — rightfully so.
“It’s a dream come true. It’s an honor to be included because I love everything the magazine represents. It is all about supporting women from all different paths.”
Here’s to Dunne, her drive and motivation, and all of the athletes in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue this year.
