Who is Livvy Dunne? Gymnast, influencer, and the woman behind Paul Skenes’ MLB breakout

Olivia Paige Dunne aka fondly known as Livvy Dunne, has become one of the most widely known personalities in the modern-day American sporting world, not only because of her sporting success but also for her enormous popularity off the field of competition. As her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, has been ascending through the ranks of Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dunne has carved her own identity as a former gymnast prodigy and a major social media influencer, making the couple one of the most interesting young pairs in the sporting world. Born on October 1, 2002, in Westwood, New Jersey, Olivia grew up immersed in the world of gymnastics from a young age. She became a competitive athlete and joined the LSU Tigers women's gymnastics team in 2020, helping to elevate the programme and earning All-American honors. Dunne continued to shine through the 2024-2025 season, only to announce retirement from the sport in April 2025 due to an avulsion fracture in her kneecap. In line with her sports performance, Dunne gained momentum on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. By mid 2025, she had over 13 million followers across social media apps and was among the most followed female athletes in collegiate athletics. Capitalising on the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policy, she joined WME Sports and secured huge endorsements with companies such as Vuori, Grubhub, Bodyarmor, and American Eagle. During her college years, Dunne’s NIL earnings alone were worth millions of dollars, and some estimates put her income from social media and endorsements at almost $6 million.In addition to endorsement, Dunne also founded The Livvy Fund, which assists female college athletes to find and optimize their individual NIL agreements, incorporating entrepreneurial work with activism. She appeared on several exemplary lists, including Forbes 30 Under 30, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2025 cover model, expanding her influence beyond the gymnastics arena.Dunne attracted wider public attention to her personal life in 2023 after her relationship with Paul Skenes, a rookie star pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates, became public. The two had known each other when they were at LSU, and since then, have supported each other in their respective careers, and Dunne is often seen cheering for Skenes during the MLB matches.Paul Skenes has rapidly grown through the big leagues since debuting with Pittsburgh in 2024 and receiving a contract that included a significant signing bonus of $9.2 million, with a 2025 base salary of $875,000 plus record pre-arbitration bonus payments, which places his 2025 estimated net worth at approximately $5 million, as reported by Spotrac. Together, Livvy Dunne and Paul Skenes represent a new generation of athlete-influencers who are not only successful athletes but also entrepreneurs and social media personalities who can connect with the masses around the world.