Olivia “Livvy” Dunne, a prominent LSU gymnast and influencer, has declared her retirement from competitive gymnastics following Thursday’s events. The decision came after the Tigers were unable to secure victory in the NCAA championships.
Following LSU’s third-place finish at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas – during the semi-finals – Dunne made an announcement on X (formerly Twitter). “Peace out gymnastics it’s been real… and of course forever LSU,” she stated in her post.
At 22 years old, Dunne had opted to sit out this week’s competition, having previously shared details about a significant injury via Instagram last month. She explained that she suffered an “avulsion fracture of my patella,” sustained while returning for her fifth year with the LSU program. “It absolutely breaks my heart not to get the opportunity to compete in the (Pete Maravich Assembly Center) one last time,” Dunne expressed her disappointment.
The New Jersey native’s extended eligibility was facilitated by the pandemic-related rule allowing student-athletes an additional year of competition. Dunne is currently involved with Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, and she has become a leading figure in collegiate NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals, amassing millions of followers across numerous social media channels. Her contributions were instrumental in LSU’s historic achievement – winning their inaugural NCAA title the previous year.
Despite LSU’s unsuccessful attempt to retain its championship status as a top seed, other teams secured significant advancements. Utah cemented its fifth consecutive appearance in the Final Four, alongside UCLA, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
* Utah clinched its fifth straight Final Four appearance.
* UCLA, Oklahoma, and Missouri also qualified for the Final Four.
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