Olivia Dunne, the namesake of Name, Image & Likeness since its beginning in 2021, has ended her gymnastics college career as a national champion at LSU.
Dunne did not compete over the weekend at the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas. But she cheered her teammates on in uniform as the Tigers won their first women's gymnastics national crown Saturday after four runner-up finishes from 2014-19 under former coach D-D Breaux. It was Breaux who built the program as coach from 1978-2021 with eight Super Six NCAA final appearances in all from 2008-19 before retiring.
LSU gymnastics coach Jay Clark cheers on LSU's Ashley Cowan at the NCAA Championships Saturday at Dickies Arena in Forth Worth, Texas. (Getty Images)
"I love these kids so much, and they did everything we asked them to," said LSU coach Jay Clark, one of the nation's top recruiters and an LSU assistant since 2013 who replaced Breaux to enter the 2022 season. "They never complained. They were unselfish. We weren't without adversity. It feels fantastic, and I'm just so happy for them. I'm speechless."
Former LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux built the program from 1978 on and finished No. 2 in the nation four times from 2014-19 before retiring in 2021. (Getty Images)
Dunne signed with LSU while Breaux was still the coach as did LSU senior star Haleigh Bryant of Cornelius, North Carolina, and Kiya Johnson of Dallas. Bryant finished tied for first Saturday in the All-Around and in the Vault. Johnson had a critical 9.95 in the Balance Beam finale.
RELATED: Olivia Dunne Is Actually A Very Good Gymnast
A senior from Hillsdale, New Jersey, Dunne was the top NIL earner from the outset in 2021 and has made close to $4 million through NIL deals. She is a social media influencer of the highest order with 8 million followers on TikTok, 5.1 million on Instagram and 124,500 on X. Some of her NIL deals contribute money to her teammates. She has also appeared in several commercials. Not to mention she's a Screencaps legend.
Dunne, 21, competed in the Floor exercise at the NCAA Regionals in Fayetteville, Arkansas, early this month and scored a 9.9. At the Southeastern Conference championships in March, she put up a 9.8 on the Bars.
But she did not make the six-member starting rotation for LSU at the NCAA Championships. She didn't make the starting rotation previously this season as the Tigers were one of the top teams in the nation all season with depth. She missed most of last season with a variety of injuries.
On a non-top five team this season, Dunne would probably compete in every meet. But LSU is obviously loaded.
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne warms up before the NCAA Championships on Saturday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. (Getty Images)
"When she's gone in, she's delivered," Clark said in March. "She's dependable, and her role has been as a utilitarian a little bit in terms of going in when we need her to. How many great basketball teams have a great sixth man? She's done an excellent job of handling it and embracing that role."
LSU won the national championship after scoring a 198.225 total to beat California (197.850), Utah (197.800) and Florida (197.4375). Previously unbeaten Oklahoma, No. 1 all season and the national champion the previous two years, suffered elimination as the No. 1 seed in Thursday's semifinals. And No. 2 seed LSU became the favorite.
The Tigers clinched a tightly contested meet only at the very end with a 49.7675 score in the Balance Beam that set the NCAA record for a final, breaking a 49.750 set by UCLA in the 2018 NCAA Championships.
"They showed what they're made of," Clark said. "They're doing it for each other. We talk about it all the time. When you can get out of your own head and not make it about yourself, special things can happen."
Olivia Dunne In The End - Just A Good Teammate
According to all reports, LSU's gymnasts never had issues with Dunne in or out of the arena or in the locker room because of her national fame and NIL income. Clark also never had to suspend or discipline her. She remained just a good teammate throughout her career.
"No, it hasn't been like that," Clark said. "If she didn't adopt that attitude of being part of the team and just being one of the team, then we'd have a problem on our hands. Liv's a great teammate. All this stuff that has gone on with NIL, it could've infected or destroyed the team. Maybe it has hurt other teams in other places. To Liv's credit and to every one on our teams's credit, there were times when the national exposure could've been a distraction. But it really hasn't been."
LSU led the nation in gymnastics attendance in 2024 at 12,950 a meet in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and did that previously under Breaux.
"There's no better fan base in America than LSU, and I'm so glad to bring it (the national title) home," Clark said. "And now we can say we're No. 1 at the end. Man, I don't know what else to say. I'm just ecstatic."
The national championship is LSU's third in just over 12 months. The women's basketball team won it all last April, and the baseball team won the title last June with Dunne's boyfriend, Paul Skenes, as the ace on the pitching staff and the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
