Olivia Dunne Divulges the Hilarious Reason She Almost Didn’t Date Paul Skenes

A simple social media mishap almost prevented this fan-favorite couple from getting together.

Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunne / Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos/Getty Images

Fate may have been what brought Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes together, but one social media mishap almost kept them apart.

When interviewed by GQ for their new feature, “Why the Algorithm Loves Gen Z’s ‘It Couple,’” Dunne and Skenes shared some interesting and surprising tidbits about their relationship, including the fact that it nearly didn’t happen because the LSU gymnast was put off by the fact that Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher didn’t follow her back on Instagram.

“He wouldn’t follow me back on Instagram,” the 22-year-old New Jersey native divulged. “I was like, ‘Who is this kid and why won’t he follow me back?’”

Skenes noted that not following Dunne back on social media wasn’t anything personal. Rather, it was because he isn’t big on being on the internet. He also didn’t even think his follow-back would matter as he assumed she didn’t know who he was—and he knew that she already had so many followers. With 13.3 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, she is the most-followed college athlete on social media.

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Dunne didn’t hesitate to let him know that wasn’t the case, especially because whenever she would see him on the LSU campus—which is Skenes’s alma mater—her interest was always piqued.

“No. [I] would see him around every now and then. I was like, ‘Who is this tall, mysterious man that never smiles?’” Dunne added. “He was shy.”

Despite Skenes being what they would both describe as “reserved,” Dunne continued to pursue the athlete, noting her “ambition” as a reason she was steadfast in her decision to find out more about him. Even so, learning more about him was easier said than done because, in addition to the Instagram issue, they couldn’t find enough time to see each other.

“I could never actually watch him do his thing because every Friday that he would start, we were competing,” Dunne recalled.

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Fortunately, Dunne’s persistence, combined with Skenes finally taking her on a date, eventually led to the pair taking their relationship seriously. Following an adorable ice cream date, Dunne knew in her heart of hearts that she would fall head-over-heels for her fellow athlete. “Our first and second date, I was like, ‘Oh, I really like him,’” the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model—who made her debut in 2023 in Puerto Rico—added. And the rest is history!

Anything that’s worth having is worth waiting for—and Dunne and Skenes’s relationship is evidence of this. Now, the two sit side-by-side as one of Gen Z’s favorite power couples.