Remember when Olivia Dunne hinted at stepping away from the LSU mat for good in March this year? While the world wasn’t ready to bid her adieu just yet, they did their best to make peace with it. However, things changed a month later. The LSU Tigers turned heads by clinching their first-ever NCAA championship. It turns out this had always been the 22-year-old’s dream, and she wasn’t ‘Dunne’ yet. So, she chose to return to the mat for her fifth and final year at LSU.

The gymnast couldn’t shake the magical feeling of competing in front of a thundering cheer from Tiger fans. Even though it seemed like she had made up her mind, she couldn’t separate herself from the sport she loved. After spending four years with her squad, Livvy will finally enter the upcoming NCAA season as the defending champion. While she looked as ready as ever, a few fans wondered if she would continue her journey in the sport. What went down, you ask?

Will Olivia Dunne compete on the world’s biggest stage?

Earlier this week, the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, LSU, prepared for the much-awaited Gymnastics 101 event. It gave fans a chance to look at the new routines. In fact, the coaches and gymnasts got a fair idea of what to expect. It seems Olivia Dunne can’t wait for the 2025 season either, and she showed off her incredible tumbling on Instagram. Set to THE AFTERLIFE PARTY (LIVE SHOW) (feat. SCRAZ, B-OTB, UNCEDED, Diego Flores, Young Stitch, DIL0, DYLIGENT7o5 & TNO.SZN) (LIVE Version), the gymnast is all smiles as she nails her flawless floor routine.

However, one fan was particularly curious about what the 22-year-old had in mind after her stint at LSU. They couldn’t help but ask the star, “So when will u be Olympic eligible?” The gymnast had dealt with several trolls calling her a “benchwarmer.” Yet, there’s no denying that the senior has left an indelible mark on the mat. During the 2020-21 SEC Championships, she scored a 9.9 on the uneven bars, contributing to LSU’s second-place finish. 

So, what did Olivia Dunne have to say? All she had to say was, “who gonna tell him^.” In fact, given that she’s one of the biggest names in the sport, many expected the gymnast to prepare for the Paris Olympics this year. However, when the Team USA gymnastics roster was finalized, she poked fun at the fact that she wasn’t on it. The 22-year-old even joked that she was snubbed for the Summer Games. But here’s the thing. There’s more to this than what meets the eye. 

During an interview back in 2021, the LSU star reiterated that she wouldn’t compete in the Olympics at all. This decision came after competing for Team USA once, and since then, the chapter on that part of her life has been done and dusted. As a part of the USA Gymnastics Junior National Team in 2017, she had to train at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas. But this is where the gymnast realized that the elite gymnastics program was “pretty dysfunctional.” While she didn’t specify why, Livvy made it clear that this would forever be a part of her past, not her future. So, what does the 21-year-old’s future look like? 

The gymnast drops a major update before 2025

The world rejoiced when Olivia Dunne announced that she would be back for one more season in the NCAA. In fact, even her coach, Jay Clark, was surprised by her return. Surprisingly, he assumed that she was done with the sport after her fourth year. Yet, she definitely had more to give.

While the 22-year-old is all set to compete as the reigning champions this season, fans couldn’t help but look forward to watching the LSU Tigers repeat their successful run. However, this also brought up another fear in their minds. Once the season comes to an end, the gymnast will retire for good from collegiate sports.

As the dread set in, Olivia Dunne’s Instagram post only added to their worries. The 22-year-old announced that she finally graduated from her college course in interdisciplinary studies. She shared a few images of her receiving the degree, something she had been working towards for four years. 

This also made Livvy realize that she will be leaving LSU soon, and she captioned the bittersweet memory with, “Forever LSU.” But she won’t be leaving the university without leaving a huge legacy in the sport. The 22-year-old is the highest-paid female college athlete with an NIL value of $4.2 million. While we don’t know what the future holds for her, the gymnast will always have this to look back to. Are you excited for her final year as an LSU Tiger?