Olivia “Livvy” Dunne isn’t just a star gymnast at LSU—she’s the poster athlete for the NCAA’s latest chapter. You’ve probably seen her name or her viral clips everywhere, as she is one of the most popular faces of college sports. She knows how to blend jaw-dropping routines for LSU’s top-tier squad with game-changing NIL deals. Those sponsorships didn’t just make Olivia Dunne a millionaire; they turned her into a social media empire, proving athletes can dominate both the mat and the spotlight.

But here’s the kicker: behind Livvy’s skyrocketing fame? There’s one person who’s kept her grounded—Jay Clark, LSU’s co-head coach and her go-to mentor. While Dunne juggles being a gymnastics phenom and a cultural icon, Clark’s the steady force helping her navigate both worlds without losing focus. Curious about the guy behind her success? Let’s pull back the curtain on Jay.

Meet Jay Clark: Olivia Dunne’s coach

Jay Clark is from Roswell, Georgia, and he’s the reason LSU gymnastics became a powerhouse. A University of Georgia grad, he spent over 20 years coaching at his alma mater, starting as an assistant under legendary coach Suzanne Yoculan before taking over as head coach from 2009 to 2012. In 2012, he moved to LSU, and by 2021, he was named head coach—only the third in the program’s history. Just three years later, he made history himself, guiding LSU to its first-ever NCAA National Championship in 2024 with record-breaking scores and earning SEC Co-Head Coach of the Year. Not bad for a guy who started his career in Georgia!

Jay Clark’s Career highlights and achievements

Jay Clark isn’t just a coach—he’s a dynasty builder. After over 30 years shaping two of college gymnastics’ top programs, his résumé reads like a highlight reel. At LSU, he smashed records in 2024 by delivering the Tigers their first-ever NCAA National Championship (198.225 final score), along with SEC and Region One titles. That same year, he raked in SEC Co-Head Coach of the Year, Region One Coach of the Year, and Louisiana’s Top Collegiate Coach honors. But Clark’s magic started long before Baton Rouge. During 20 seasons at Georgia, he helped the Gym Dogs snag seven NCAA team titles and 14 SEC championships, while ESPN dubbed him a top-10 national recruiter in 2011.

Awards? He’s stacked them: four-time National Co-Assistant Coach of the Year, five-time Central Region Co-Assistant Coach of the Year, and a USA Gymnastics Hall of Famer. At LSU, his uneven bars squads rewrote history—42 All-America nods, four of the program’s five highest team scores, and its only two individual bars champions. From Georgia’s golden era to LSU’s breakthrough crown, Clark’s fingerprints are all over gymnastics’ biggest moments.

Jay Clark congratulates Olivia Dunne on NIL deals

During a practice last year, Jay tossed a cheeky line at Livvy after a misstep: “How do you want me to handle this? Since you make 10 times what I make!” The moment, caught by Washington Post reporter Emily Giambalvo and shared on X, blew up online—not just for the humor, but for what it revealed. Dunne, after all, is a NIL powerhouse, banking millions from deals with American Eagle, Forever 21, Vuori, and others. Clark’s $275K salary? Which is just peanuts next to her.

But the joke’s not about the money—it’s about balance. While Olivia Dunne’s blowing up as a brand queen, Clark stays laser-focused on keeping her locked into the grind. No jealousy, no drama. Just a coach who’ll rib his athlete about her empire while drilling her to nail that vault.

With Jay by his side, Olivia  isn’t just making waves in gymnastics—she’s reshaping the game itself. Fresh off her fiery testimony in the NCAA’s landmark $2.8 billion antitrust case, where she slammed the proposed settlement for undervaluing athletes’ influence (herself included), Dunne is proving that modern athletes won’t settle for outdated math.