“I’m always trying to think of the next thing…I love to think about what comes next.” Olivia Dunne‘s remarks last year during a podcast conversation with Flau’jae Johnson said everything about who she is—forward-thinking, goal-oriented, and always planning for what’s ahead. When a three-year-old Livvy told her parents she wanted to become a gymnast in 2005, it was this exact mindset that had peeked from a corner, with a rather silly goal: The sparkly pink leotard, that has now become symbolic of an iconic life lived. Be it creating a social media empire or turning heads with her routines, it’s almost as if Olivia Dunne had become synonymous with success. It was almost as if whatever the star touched turned into gold. But, fast forward to 2025, and life had a rather brutal reality check ready for the 22-year-old…

Signs of distress first started surfacing in March, with Senior Night looming—the Tigers’ final home meet of the season—when the young phenom shared a message with her fans: “Hi friends! Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with an avulsion fracture of my patella and will not be able to compete on senior night.” A short caption. A heavy truth. After her last appearance back in January against Arkansas, where she scored a 9.70 on floor, Livvy remained with the team. She suited up, stayed engaged, and supported her teammates. Even two days ago, the LSU Tigers’ gymnast had ambitiously stated how she’s doing everything she can to make one final NCAA Gymnastics Championships appearance. “I’m doing everything I can to be able to. I’m not sure what the case will be, but I don’t think I’ll be able to tumble or do beam. Bars is not out of the question.”

But even Olivia, with her checklists and mapped-out dreams, likely never imagined a night like April 17. On Thursday, inside a buzzing arena packed with pressure and promise, Olivia’s LSU Tigers gave it everything they had in the NCAA semifinals. Kailin Chio brought the crowd to its feet with a near-perfect 9.975 on vault, securing the 19th individual national title by a Tiger and eighth on vault. KJ Johnson backed it up with a solid 9.8375, and the Tigers closed with a formidable team total of 197.5250. It was a valiant effort—a score worthy of pride. But it wasn’t enough, as they finished third behind Utah (197.7625) and UCLA (197.7375), who will now move to Saturday’s final round. 

The scoreboard didn’t lie. And two things stood out in sharp relief: First, their run to the national title had come to an end. Second, Olivia Dunne wasn’t out there with them. For the nth consecutive meet, Olivia was absent from the lineup, sidelined by a “little avulsion fracture” that proved to be anything but little. The injury that had nagged her became the quiet curtain call to her collegiate gymnastics career. No final floor routine. No vault. No beam. Just the sideline—and the sting of watching it all from the outside. That 9.70 in January? It stands as her last competitive score in an LSU leotard. Her final moment on the mat? A memory, frozen in time. Ultimately, it’s not the ending anyone envisioned—not Olivia Dunne, not LSU, not the fans who followed her journey from the very start. Notably, Thursday was also Haleigh Bryant’s last appearance on the NCAA mat. 

Having said that, was Livvy’s injury really that bad? Unfortunately, yes. An avulsion fracture isn’t just a nagging injury—it’s brutal. It happens when a chunk of the kneecap tears away, pulled by the force of the patellar ligament or quadriceps tendon. It’s the kind of injury that turns explosive power, the hallmark of a gymnast, into a painful impossibility. But all of this begs us to wonder…What now?

Olivia Dunne is ready to embrace the next chapter 

“Out gymnastics it’s been real… and of course forever LSU!” Olivia Dunne wrote on Thursday after the LSU Tigers’ semifinal match. Emotions are real, and she will remain the Tiger forever. However, she has a few more things in store. Let’s follow. On Friday, she extended her reminiscence. This time, there was her childhood picture, wearing an onesie, with a trophy in her hand and a medal around her neck. Caption? “gymnastics, i will love you forever.” Feeling emotional with Livvy? However, Livvy has some concrete plans to spend the coming days. 

“I’m super excited to be able to spend time with Paul [Skenes],” Olivia Dunne said, smiling during her April 8 interview with People. “I’ve always had to train during my summers and stuff… So to be able to not have to do gymnastics training and be able to spend more time in Pittsburgh with Paul enjoying the baseball season, I’m looking forward to that.” Well, it was classic Livvy—poised, positive, already looking ahead. While the rest of the world was still wondering what’s next, she already had the blueprint drawn up. Summer days without leotards. Ball games instead of beam routines. Freedom in place of floor passes. Her plan? As always, ready.

Because that’s who Olivia Dunne is. Behind the viral moments and the massive following is a woman who’s constantly ten steps ahead. Her post-gymnastics life won’t be a question mark. Whether it’s growing her brand, exploring media, fashion, entrepreneurship, or simply showing up in the stands at Paul Skenes’ MLB games, Livvy’s next chapter will be just as intentional as every leap, twist, and turn she’s taken in the gym. But even with all her plans… There will be a moment. A quiet one.

Maybe it’ll come in the middle of summer, maybe under stadium lights in Pittsburgh. Maybe it’ll just be a still second in a loud life. But in that moment, she’ll think about April 17. About the night that was never supposed to be part of her story. The night she didn’t compete. The night the dream ended—not with a routine, but with a whisper. The night that wasn’t planned. Because even for someone who always knows what’s next… Some goodbyes don’t make it onto the checklist. And that’s okay. Because Olivia Dunne’s legacy was never going to be defined by a single meet. It was built across seasons, spotlight, and sacrifice.