LSU's Olivia Dunne dismisses critics amid rising popularity: 'People definitely discredit what I do'

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LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne is entering her senior season and going into the year as one of the most lucrative athletes when it comes to name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.

Dunne has the highest NIL valuation among female athletes, according to On3 Sports. She’s ranked third on the list among all athletes with a valuation of $3.2 million.

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Olivia Dunne attends The ESPYS in Los Angeles on July 12, 2023. (Christopher Polk / Variety via Getty Images)

While Dunne has millions of followers across multiple social media platforms and has earned more recognition because of that, she made clear that everything she’s been awarded was because of hard work.

"People definitely discredit what I do," Dunne said in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. "People need to understand that I’ve worked for everything I’ve earned. I’ve spent years building an audience, and brands pay me for what they believe is worth the reach of the demographic that I offer."

"Me being at the forefront, the most important thing for me was to give back," she said.

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LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne is entering her senior season and going into the year as one of the most lucrative athletes when it comes to NIL deals. (Jerome Miron / USA Today Sports / File)

Dunne has also had the chance to give back to her fellow LSU athletes with the Livvy Fund. The venture, which launched in July, is in partnership with Bayou Traditions, which is the Tigers’ official organization for NIL opportunities for Tigers student-athletes.

"There’s definitely an underlying problem, which is that the money needs to go to support women’s sports because there’s not many [lucrative] professional leagues for women’s sports after college," she told the magazine.

"So, it’s really important that women can capitalize on it now while they’re in college."

LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne competes during an NCAA gymnastics meet in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Jan. 8, 2021. (AP Photo / Tyler Kaufman)

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LSU’s 2024 gymnastics season begins in January with a meet against Ohio State.