For Olivia Dunne, the dream of ending her LSU gymnastics career with a bang has been taking a different turn. Her wish had slowly unraveled into a season filled with uncertainty and heartbreak. The star gymnast, who had been dealing with lingering knee issues, was already facing a limited presence on the competition floor. But just when fans were hoping to see Livvy make a triumphant return, she dropped a devastating update—an update that all but confirms her absence from one of the biggest nights of the season

On March 6, 2025, Olivia Dunne took to Instagram to deliver a piece of news that has left LSU fans reeling. Her social media update read, “Hi friends! Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with an avulsion fracture of my patella and will not be able to compete on senior night.” She further shared the severity of her injury. The super senior, who had been pushing through knee troubles all season, was officially ruled out of LSU’s final home meet against Georgia. However, it wasn’t just the injury itself that made this announcement so painful. It was what it meant for her future in collegiate gymnastics.

Livvy Dunne admitted that missing her senior night was an emotional blow. “It absolutely breaks my heart to not get the opportunity to compete in the PMAC one last time,” she wrote, expressing the depth of her disappointment. For fans who had been holding onto hope that she would return for this special occasion, this was the confirmation they had feared.

Such an update from the athlete also raised a bigger question. Was this the end of Dunne’s time competing for LSU? While she didn’t explicitly state whether she would be back for postseason action, the seriousness of her injury casts doubt on her chances of making a comeback.

Adding to this, what makes this even more gut-wrenching is that no one realized her last home performance had already happened. On January 17, when Dunne scored a 9.875 on the floor against Florida at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, fans had no idea it would be her final time competing in an LSU leotard on her home floor. It has been more than a month now, since she has missed key matchups, including showdowns against Alabama, Missouri, and Oklahoma, all while dealing with her worsening knee condition.

The timing of her announcement was particularly striking, coming shortly after LSU head coach Jay Clark had shared an encouraging message about his seniors. “We shouldn’t eulogize our seniors, we should celebrate our seniors,” Clark had said. The head coach emphasized the fact that their achievements should be the focus, rather than what they weren’t able to do.

These words from Coach Clark had offered a glimmer of hope that Dunne might at least be part of the senior night celebrations in some way. However, with her injury now confirmed as a fracture, even that possibility remains unclear. And this has left fans in an upsetting scenario.

Netizens express despair as injury shatters Olivia Dunne’s final season dreams

One fan is still keeping their hopes high and is awaiting Dunne’s return. Despite the back-to-back setbacks, LSU fans are rooting for Dunne’s performance on the mat. The disheartened fan commented, “Oh no, that’s tough! Hoping Olivia can power through whatever’s going on and finish strong at LSU.💔🤞”

Another fan on the other hand has expressed their dismay over the fact that ‘Livvy’ Dunne might be missing her senior night owing to the serious injury. The fact that gymnastics is a highly-demanding sport, often minor injuries pose a barrier to an athlete’s journey. The comment from the concerned fan read, “This is so disappointing to have her miss her senior night.” Echoing the same disappointment, another fan commented, “LSU and their luck with injuries has been surprisingly bad this season.”

Another comment reflected a fan’s hope that Olivia Dunne can recover from her avulsion fracture and return before LSU’s season ends. Given that her injury has already ruled her out of senior night, her availability for postseason competitions remains uncertain. “Wish you recover soon and can be back before the end of the season”, wrote the social media user.

Since Dunne didn’t confirm whether she could compete again, fans are holding onto hope that she might make a comeback before LSU’s NCAA campaign concludes. Conveying their best wishes, one user wrote, “Get well soon girl, hope the best for you!” The comment expresses support while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding her future appearances on the competition floor.

While Dunne may not be competing, she could still be in attendance to support her teammates as they take on Georgia in what promises to be an emotional night at the PMAC. Whether this truly marks the end of her LSU career remains uncertain. But for now, one thing is clear—this isn’t how Olivia Dunne or her fans imagined her final season playing out.