Swimsuit

8 Inspiring Photos of LSU Star Olivia Dunne on the Beach in Puerto Rico

From the gym to the beach, the 2023 SI Swimsuit model has big ambitions.

Martha Zaytoun

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico.

Mere days after competing with the LSU gymnastics team, Olivia Dunne stepped onto the beaches of Puerto Rico with photographer Ben Watts for her SI Swimsuit debut.  

As the highest-paid female college athlete in the country, the 20-year-old is certainly making her mark on a whole host of platforms, from social media to the SI Swimsuit Issue. On set, Dunne made sure to work some of her impressive gymnastics skills into the photos.

“Being a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model is a dream come true,” she said. 

The trip certainly fulfilled that dream, but it also gave the growing influencer the chance to inspire.

“There [are] a lot of young girls that look up to me and I feel like a lot of young girls also follow Sports Illustrated,” she explained. “Both of our brands… align because we both want to inspire the younger generation.” 

Part of the connection she feels to the brand is a result of what she believes is an alignment of “visions and core values.” Particularly, “the magazine is all about celebrating women and making them feel strong and confident, which I love,” Dunne remarked.

The gymnast brought that very strength and confidence to her photoshoot, smiling widely as she jogged along the shore in a black cutout one-piece by La Revêche.

Dunne’s message to younger women was clear: “You’re more than just your sport,” she said.

Below are eight of our favorite photos from Dunne's rookie photo shoot in Puerto Rico.

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Martha Zaytoun
MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2023, she worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Zaytoun loves to watercolor and oil paint, run and water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.

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