LSU gymnast Olivia 'Livvy' Dunne will once again be featured in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as a "rookie" in 2024.
Dunne, 21, will appear in the magazine's 60th anniversary edition next May, having made her debut in the 2023 edition of the iconic magazine as part of a multi-year partnership NIL deal.
“The decision to invite Livvy back to appear in the 2024 issue as a rookie was an easy one,” said SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day on the magazine's official website. “Last year, we featured Livvy the D1 athlete, highlighting her accolades as an all-academic and an all star on the rise. This year, we are featuring Livvy as a well-established, industrious entrepreneur who is here to stay, who continues to break barriers, continues to work hard and forge an unforgettable path for herself and future generations of female athletes. Like all the incredible women that represent SI Swimsuit, Livvy stands out in her own unique and critical way. We are so incredibly proud of what she continues to achieve and are so excited to welcome her back not as Livvy Dunne the LSU D1 gymnast, but Livvy Dunne, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit rookie.”
Dunne traveled to Portugal to participate in her rookie photoshoot in October. A behind the scenes video of the gymnast's pictorial was shared on SI Swimsuit's social media accounts Tuesday (November 28).
“Coming back for Year 2, I mean, last year I said it was a dream come true, and nothing’s changed,” Dunne said. “It’s still a dream come true. I can’t believe I can call myself a rookie. It feels unreal.”
Dunne has more than 7.5 million followers on TikTok and more than 4.5 million on Instagram, making her the second most-followed NCAA athlete on social media behind only USC freshman men's basketball guard Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, and has amassed $3.3 million in NIL earnings, which ranks third behind only James and University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the son of Colorado head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, according to On3.com. The New Jersey native trains the all-around and appeared in four meets during her junior season, recording a season-high 9.850 on bars at the SEC championships, while averaging 9.788 on the event for the year and being named to the Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll.