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Questions about Livvy Dunne and what her next steps will be have surrounded her since her days with LSU women’s gymnastics came to an end. After being named a TIME100 creator, Dunne shared that her plan involves putting her social media strengths to use.
“It was always a goal of mine to get that blue check mark on Instagram,” Dunne said in an interview with TIME. “I actually drew it on a piece of paper, cut it out, and stuck it on my mirror.”
Since finding success as an influencer with 5.4 million Instagram followers and 8 million on TikTok, Dunne had her sights set on modeling, acting, and creating longer-form YouTube videos.
Dunne wound up setting the standard on how college athletes monetized their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) after the Supreme Court allowed NCAA students to begin securing sponsorships in 2021.
“I can tell you one thing, nobody expected a gymnast to be at the forefront of NIL and collegiate athletics,” Dunne said. “Breaking down barriers and beating everyone's expectations was very fun. The legacy that I'm leaving, I hope it's bigger than me.”
Dunne partnered with brands like American Eagle, L’Oreal, and Vuori after her freshman year, and by her final college gymnastics season, she had more than $4.1 million in endorsements.
The 22-year-old became the highest-paid female college athlete and landed among the top five of college athletes overall. Since graduating from LSU in December and bringing her collegiate gymnastics career to an end, she's opened up about her anxiety surrounding her major life transition.
“Gymnastics consumed so much of my childhood,” Dunne said. “So to no longer do it anymore is crazy.”
Dunne has only continued to grow in popularity. She's been making headlines lately for more than just her endorsement deals. Dunne and Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes are in a very public relationship, and the pair are frequently spotted together in and outside of sports environments.
