Meet Your Cover Model: Olivia Dunne Has Paved a Path of Her Own to This SI Swimsuit 2025 Cover

The social media sensation, NIL trailblazer and retired NCAA gymnast posed for Ben Watts in Bermuda.

Olivia Dunne’s rise from standout gymnast to global sensation has been nothing short of extraordinary. Over the past three years, she has grown in confidence, leadership and impact—while her following has skyrocketed alongside her success.

SI Swimsuit has had a front row seat to her journey and the honor of being one of her biggest cheerleaders every step of the way.

Today, we couldn’t be more excited and proud to announce her as one of four cover stars to grace the front of the 2025 issue, joining actor, director, producer and advocate Salma Hayek Pinault; model, activist and entrepreneur Lauren Chan; and Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles.

More Olivia Dunne. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746299712/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtbs5npwhm76ab98qd.jpg. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746299709/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtbs5nm46apez0e22f.jpg. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746299707/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtbs5njpeadfy90dyk.jpg. Olivia Dunne Content. Read the Cover Story. View the Full Gallery

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by Reina Olga. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

The recently retired NCAA gymnast made her SI Swimsuit debut on the shores of Puerto Rico in 2023 with photographer Ben Watts and reunited with him in Portugal in 2024. This year, she posed for Watts once again, this time in Bermuda for her third consecutive appearance in the magazine.

“Olivia Dunne’s why goes far beyond the floor and bars—it’s about changing the game for athletes everywhere. She was one of the first to leverage the power of name, image and likeness deals, building a brand that’s both financially successful and rooted in showing the real Livvy,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day explains. “She’s not just a social media sensation; she’s a pioneering force who has created opportunities for herself and, by extension, countless other athletes by demonstrating how to navigate the intersection of sports, business and digital influence.”

The SI Swimsuit team broke the exciting news to Dunne while she was on vacation with family in Florida last week. Under the guise of a short interview, reflecting on her photo shoot where she expressed how “genuine” all the smiles in her photos are and how safe, comfortable and cool she feels on set with the brand, we finally pulled up her official cover image on screen.

“Are you kidding me? Thank you so much. Oh my god, MJ, this is a dream come true,” Dunne gushed with small tears of joy forming in her eyes. “I can’t believe it. Oh my god. That photo is so good. That is crazy, I am a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model. This bikini ... this was the one. I felt like such a baddie in it. This is the best day of my life. This is so exciting.”

She also recalled what a “perfect” day her photo shoot was: “It was the most beautiful place I have ever been. The whole experience was extraordinary. I know it was quick, but every single time we go to these places, and I shoot for these 24 hours, and it’s the quickest trip, you guys feel like family, truly. I have the best time, and it’s the most fun shoot I’ve ever done.”

View Olivia Dunne’s full 2025 SI Swimsuit gallery here.

Dunne, who served a short stint on the U.S. junior national team at 14 before choosing the collegiate route and accepting a full ride to LSU, quickly became the highest-paid female NCAA athlete in the country and continued to push the boundaries of what it means to be a modern woman in sports.

Reflecting on her unique path, she says what makes her position so distinct is the “depth,” balancing life as a student, athlete, entrepreneur and model. “That’s a really hard thing for people to wrap their head around,” she explains, adding that she didn’t follow in anyone’s footsteps. “Nobody else has done it before me, so I’m kind of just writing my own story here.”

The New Jersey native’s debut has helped shift the narrative around what young female athletes can aspire to outside of competition. She’s become a beacon for the next generation, proving that athletic success can coexist with personal branding, creativity and empowerment.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by Tropic of C. Shirt by MONSE. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Dunne’s journey has inspired young women to challenge outdated expectations. Through groundbreaking NIL deals and the creation of The Livvy Fund, she’s built a blueprint for how athletes can leverage their platforms to create lucrative new opportunities.

“It’s possible for any young girl to do,” she says. “I want to provide education on how to get started and how to [put] yourself at the forefront of something that’s still so new.”

She plans to grow the initiative beyond LSU, aiming to help more student-athletes across the country learn how to build their brands and take advantage of an emerging social media landscape.

Dunne is also frank about the fact that “girls are always going to have to work a little harder. You have to seize every opportunity that comes your way.”

She constantly expresses her appreciation and gratitude to the SI Swimsuit team, and Day is quick to share the love right back.

“I feel like I’m just stepping into a new version of myself. This is the most special thing that’s ever happened to me. I want this [cover image] to capture the audience and then they flip the page open and it’s just a badass story inside,” she continues. “I am proud to be an SI [Swimsuit] model. Thank you so much for making my dreams come true. I just hope that other athletes feel inspired and hear my story, and fight for what’s right.”

“You have been such a wonderful asset to our team and our brand, and everything you do for us and what you’ve done for everybody else that is following your footsteps,” the editor in chief shares. “Thank you for bringing that here to us. You deserve all of this. It’s a great picture, but you are a great human being.”

Dunne’s third consecutive issue appearance and 2025 cover underscores not only her ongoing influence but also the legacy she’s leaving on the NCAA and NIL landscape. Dunne has become a symbol of what’s possible when athletes embrace every facet of their identities. She often reminds young women athletes that they are more than their sport, encouraging them to pursue their passions unapologetically, build their personal brands and take control of their futures both on and off the field.

Dunne has not only redefined what it means to be an athlete, but she’s also shown what it means to be a true leader.