This Just In: Olivia Dunne Still A Competitive Gymnast At LSU - And A Good One

BATON ROUGE, La. - People may have forgotten that Olivia Dunne is an actual gymnast for No. 2-ranked LSU.

She has such a presence and influence on social media with 7.9 million TikTok followers and 123,500 on X along with television commercials and constant media attention, some may think she is an actress, singer or a daughter of a celebrity.

But she is wrapping up her senior season on the LSU gymnastics team as a full-time student majoring in interdisciplinary studies. She is a three-time Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Rollee and a 2022 Women's College Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-American.

LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne is competing regularly this season after missing most of 2023 with injuries. (Getty Images).

Dunne, 21, will compete in likely her last LSU home meet Friday against North Carolina (8:30 p.m., SEC Network +) with more performances expected at the SEC Championships on March 23, the NCAA Regionals April 3-7 and possibly the NCAA Championships April 1822 in Fort Worth, Texas.

After only four meets last season because of shoulder, bicep and foot injuries and the distractions of being famous, Dunne will compete in her seventh and counting meet Friday.

"This year's just been a blast," Dunne told reporters this week at a press conference with teammate Sierra Ballard and coach Jay Clark. "I'm so focused on the end of this year and bringing home the national championship."

LSU (11-3, 5-2 SEC) has come close, but has never won a national title in gymnastics. This could be the year as it has one of the nation's best in senior all-around Haleigh Bryant and a very deep team. Dunne would likely be in the six-woman rotation on another top 10 or 15 program, but she is in a utility role at LSU. 

"Haleigh is