Fifth Year LSU Gymnast Olivia Dunne Inspired During Her SI Swimsuit Debut in Puerto Rico

The athlete is the epitome of multi-faceted—and wants other athletes to follow in her footsteps.
Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico
Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

For Olivia Dunne, the past few years have been memorable to say the least. Between building a following on social media, racking up brand deals and campaigns under new NIL policies, winning a national championship with the LSU gymnastics team and two Sports Illustrated Swimsuit photo shoots, the 21-year-old is enjoying immense success.

And she’s not done yet. She said as much in an Instagram announcement on June 8: she will be returning to LSU for her fifth year of eligibility. She’s not ready to put away her purple and gold leotard. We don’t blame her—she has a trophy to defend, as this past spring saw the LSU squad win their first national title in program history.

The SI Swimsuit team couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of her story. Dunne arrived to the set of her first brand photo shoot in Puerto Rico in early 2023, ready to fulfill a dream. And she did just that as she posed for photos captured by photographer Ben Watts. But, more importantly, it was a chance “to inspire the younger generation,” she said on set.

As a SI Swimsuit model, she wanted to use her platform to send a powerful message to young female athletes: “You’re more than just your sport,” she said.

For Dunne, that’s certainly true. Between entrepreneurial efforts, modeling and athletics, it’s clear that she’s multi-faceted. If you need proof, just look to the outtakes from her first brand feature. Here are a few of our favorites.

Olivia Dunn
Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated
Olivia Dunn
Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated
Olivia Dunn
Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Published
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.