Swimsuit

Olivia Dunne and LSU Tigers Stun in Velvet Dior Leotards as Paul Skenes Cheers on

The women’s gymnastics team upped their fashion game for the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Meet.

Natalie Zamora

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by AMOR MÍA
Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by AMOR MÍA / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

The LSU women’s gymnastics team is back in full force as the defending national champions kick off the 2025 season. Two-time SI Swimsuit model Olivia Dunne is back for her fifth and final year, especially eager to show off what she’s got as an individual competitor. The Tigers most recently traveled to Oklahoma City, Okla. to compete at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Meet, where they not only showed off their athletic talent but also their incredible fashion game.

Finishing second at the meet on Saturday, Jan. 11, the team made Tigers history with their highest score recorded at a road opener yet at 197.650. As for Dunne, the New Jersey native scored a 9.725 on the bars, a 9.775 on the beam and a 9.85 on the floor—making for an undeniably impressive performance overall. Among the many spectators at the Paycom Center included Dunne’s boyfriend Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher she’s been dating for over a year.

The LSU alum took to his Instagram story this past weekend to share a video of Dunne’s incredible floor routine which left the audience in cheers and applause. Along with her Tigers teammates, the internet sensation, who is currently the most followed college athlete, rocked an extra special leotard worth calling out.

As shared on the GK Elite gymnastics apparel Instagram account, the ladies donned The Velvet Dior Leo in the colors purple and black with gold accents. The top of the long-sleeved leotards feature mesh complemented by the bottom half of glamorous velvet. The most extravagant part of this item is undoubtedly the Swarovski crystals throughout which totally elevate the overall look. The LSU leotard was first featured during the 2023 NCAA women's gymnastics tournament and made a comeback on Saturday.

On Sunday, the LSU gymnastics Instagram account shared shots from the meet, putting the incredible leotards on full display. If you scroll to the eighth image, you’ll see Dunne looking fabulous with her hair up in purple and black ribbons along with an LSU temporary tattoo on her face. “Just gettin’ warmed up 🔥,” the caption begins.

“TURN THE AC ON ITS ABOUT TO GET HOT,” Tigers team member Sierra Ballard commented on the post above.

Last week, Dunne had some fun on social media when giving fans a peek at her “double life,” proving she can do whatever she sets her mind to and refuses to be placed into a box. Sharing behind the scenes footage of her two SI Swimsuit photo shoots—from Puerto Rico in 2023 and Portugal in 2024—she then cut to clips from the gymnastics mat as she performed flips. “Best of both worlds 💁🏼‍♀️” she captioned the video.

LSU will compete against the University of Florida next for a match taking place Friday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Natalie Zamora
NATALIE ZAMORA

Natalie Zamora is a leader in the digital media space who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle topics. After graduating from Rutgers University where she majored in English and minored in Cinema Studies, she currently works as the VP of Entertainment Content, FanSided/SI Swimsuit at Minute Media. In addition to SI Swimsuit, her work can also be found on sites such as Winter is Coming, Mental Floss, and more. With a deep passion for pop culture, Natalie has her finger on the pulse of trending topics and loves to keep up with her favorite celebrities.

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