Olivia Dunne Reveals Adorable Paul Skenes Coincidence: ‘Invisible Strings Are Real’

The SI Swimsuit model and MLB player met while they were student athletes at LSU and have been dating since 2023.

Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunne / Rob Tringali/Getty Images

Olivia Dunne is convinced fate has been on her side all along. The former LSU gymnast and content creator shared an adorable TikTok with fans this week, recounting a coincidence that left her speechless.

Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos/Getty Images

“Invisible strings are real,” the 22-year-old began. “So right now I’m in Jersey, and my mom is moving stuff out of my house in Louisiana for me. And as we know, I was in college for five years, I have a lot of stuff in my house, and then my mom finds this.”

She included a screenshot of a ticket to a baseball game she attended at LSU in Feb. 2021, more than two years before she and her boyfriend, MLB star Paul Skenes, began dating.

“It’s a ticket to the LSU versus Air Force baseball game, and Paul was on Air Force’s team, and that was my first college baseball game ever. And I didn’t know him. That is crazy,” she continued. “I always knew he played LSU, but I never thought I was at the game… I don’t know, it was meant to be.”

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A post shared by Olivia Dunne (@livvydunne)

The sweet story ties back to the couple’s college roots. Dunne, who retired from NCAA athletics this year, helped lead the Tigers to their first NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship title in 2024. She met Skenes through mutual friends on campus in 2023.

The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, who was drafted first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft and later named 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, quickly won her over. “Our first and second date, I was like, Oh, I really like him,” she recalled in a GQ article they were featured in together.

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A post shared by Paul Skenes (@paulskenes)

The pair was first romantically linked when the three-time SI Swimsuit model wore the 23-year-old’s jersey to the College World Series in June 2023, sparking relationship rumors online.

Their love story has only grown from there. Dunne frequently gushes over her boyfriend’s support, telling us earlier this year, “My boyfriend is probably one of the most confident people I know, and supportive. It helps me be confident. It’s just a very good dynamic that benefits me as well.”

Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes during the ROY 2024 National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award Announcement in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in November 2024. / Lucas Casel/MLB Photos/Getty Images

Beyond their relationship, both athletes have continued to dominate in their respective fields. Dunne landed a coveted SI Swimsuit annual issue cover after her 2025 photo shoot with Ben Watts in Bermuda, cementing her status as a cultural force in sports and media.

“This is my third time in the issue, and I feel like my confidence over the years has grown so much from my first shoot,” the New Jersey native said. “It’s so special to be back for year three.”

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