Olivia Dunne Flaunts Athleticism in These 4 Pics From Puerto Rico

The two-time SI Swimsuit model posed for last year’s issue in the Caribbean.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

While Olivia Dunne was featured in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue as an athlete, the 21-year-old LSU gymnast earned her status as a rookie in this year’s 60th anniversary issue. The New Jersey native’s first brand feature took place in Puerto Rico, while she posed for the 2024 issue in Portugal.

And while both spreads are equally stunning, today we’re throwing it back to the NCAA athlete’s photo shoot in Puerto Rico, which marked her first editorial photo shoot ever. Dunne, who is the highest-paid female college athlete in the country, uses her platform to encourage women and girls to reach for their goals, whether they’re sports-related or not, while also drawing attention to her incredible sport.

“As a female athlete, I hope I can bring attention to how amazing college sports are and how hard college athletics are. People don’t see [behind the scenes] every day of my college athletics, and it's very time consuming,” Dunne stated at the time of her 2023 photo shoot. “In gymnastics, a lot of people only watch the Olympics every four years, and I feel like I’ve been able to use my platform to bring an audience to college gymnastics, and people are starting to see how amazing all these gymnasts are.”

Dunne will soon return to LSU for her fifth and final season of eligibility, and has recently been cheering on Team USA at the Paris Olympics. Below, we’re throwing it back to a few of our favorite snapshots, captured by Ben Watts, of the athlete in Puerto Rico.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by Sommer Swim. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by RIELLI. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by Christopher Esber. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by RIELLI. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated