Olivia Dunne is more than just a talented gymnast at LSU. She is also a social media superstar with a huge fan base on TikTok and Instagram. She is the highest-earning female college athlete in the nation, making millions of dollars from her deals and collaborations.
According to a new study by Sportsbook Review, the LSU gymnast and social media sensation topped the list of the most-searched US female athletes under 25 years old on Google in the past year, with an estimated 550,000 searches.
But behind her success, there is another person who plays a crucial role: her older sister, Julz.
Julz Dunne graduated from LSU last spring, but she still works closely with her sister as a paid employee. She helps Olivia create and edit content for her platforms while also running her own social media business to help other student-athletes with their NIL opportunities. Julz is, as Olivia calls her:
“sometimes the brains behind the operation.”
The sisters have a close bond and share a passion for gymnastics. Julz was also a gymnast in high school, but she decided to pursue a different path in college. She majored in mass communications and minored in sports studies at LSU, where she met Olivia’s teammates and coaches.
Julz told Elle magazine that she enjoys working with her sister and seeing her grow as an athlete and a person. She said that Olivia has always been ambitious and driven but also humble and kind.
How Olivia Dunne balances her busy life
Olivia Dunne's life is not easy, though. She has to balance her academic, athletic, and professional responsibilities every day.
“I come home [to my dorm] and do my work stuff at night,” Olivia told The New York Post. “I’ll come back to my dorm, shower, get ready and put on makeup to start filming to create content.”
Olivia told The Post that she loves what she does and does not see it as a burden. She said that she has a lot of fun making videos and interacting with her followers. She also said that she is grateful for the opportunities that NIL has given her and other college athletes.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here