Olivia Dunne of Hillsdale featured on cover of Sports Illustrated
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Olivia "Livvy" Dunne of Hillsdale is no stranger to the spotlight. With 7.8 million followers on TikTok and another 4.4 million on Instagram, the Louisiana State senior gymnast is a social media star.
Now the Bergen County native can add one more thing to her resume: a Sports Illustrated cover.
“Somebody pinch me,” Dunne posted Wednesday on Instagram stories with the SI cover.
Led by Olivia Dunne and Angel Reese, LSU is setting the standard for athletes in women’s sports capitalizing on NIL deals.@stephapstein on the women’s program ruling the new college sports economy, in SI’s ‘The Money Issue’ https://t.co/1DCI7PH5Yf pic.twitter.com/IiJfpxGqGa
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 13, 2023
Dunne and fellow LSU star Angel Reese grace the cover for a story about money in college sports. Titled "Generation NIL," the story examines the economy of collegiate sports, and how LSU women's sports is leading the way.
On3, a college recruiting site, has Dunne at No. 3 on the name, image and likeness (NIL) list, with an estimated valuation at $3.2 million — trailing only Bronny James (Lebron James' son) and Shedeur Sanders (Deion Sanders' son). Reese is No. 8 on the list, with $1.7 million.
It is not the first time Dunne has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated. She appeared in the 2023 swimsuit issue.
“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,” Dunne told SI at the time.
Women and Sport: NJ's Olivia Dunne defines what college athletes can earn with NIL
Bergen County roots
Dunne, born Oct. 1, 2002, grew up in Hillsdale and has a long history with the Eastern National Academy of Gymnastics in Paramus, which she represented at national and international competitions, including stints with the U.S. national team.
When Dunne at the age of 14 represented Team USA at an international competition, she told The Record: "You know, it's a long path ahead. All I can say is this is one more step to my Olympic dream. I feel really excited to see what is to come."
Dunne was homeschooled and graduated from Abeka Academy, an online homeschooling site. She received a scholarship to LSU in 2019.
Social media influencer
Today, Dunne has millions and millions of followers on multiple social media platforms.
Her social media journey began way back in 2012, and her Instagram posts track her gymnastics journey through the years from ENA Paramus to LSU. It includes meeting future Olympians Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Simone Biles.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Olivia Dunne of Hillsdale featured on cover of Sports Illustrated
