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Olivia Dunne’s LSU brings the ‘vibes’ to podium training ahead of NCAA Championships SF in title defense bid
Olivia Dunne’s collegiate team LSU Tigers showed great energy during the podium training ahead of the semifinals of the 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championships. The program will be competing against No. 4 Utah Red Rocks, No. 5 UCLA Bruins, and No. 8 Michigan State in the semis.
The Tigers faced the Utah Red Rocks at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Session II, where they finished behind Oklahoma to place second with a score of 197.650. Later, LSU faced Michigan State, Arkansas, and Maryland in the NCAA Regional Second Round, with the first two teams advancing to the NCAA Regional Final. The program has yet to face the UCLA Bruins this season.
Ahead of their semifinal clash on April 17, scheduled for 8:00 PM Central Time (CT), Dunne’s LSU team posted glimpses of the athletes including Aleah Finnegan, Lexi Zeiss, and others, who were all smiles during podium training at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Sharing the highlights on X (formerly Twitter), the account captioned it, writing:
“Brought the vibes to podium training 🔥”
While Olivia Dunne's team practiced during the podium training and gearing up to defend the NCAA title through a spot in the semis, she has missed majority of the season, owing to her knee injury, which she revealed via her Instagram story in March 2025.
Notably, the top two teams out of these four will qualify for the finals of the NCAA Gymnastics Championships, scheduled on April 19, Saturday, at 3:00 PM CT.
Olivia Dunne reflects on what her life would look like after her final year at LSU
Olivia Dunne, who returned to LSU for her fifth and final year with the aim of defending the NCAA Gymnastics title in 2025, reflected on what her life may look like after college. While she ruled out the possibility of pursuing a career as a gymnastics coach, she expressed interest in being connected to the sport through the NIL space.
The NCAA’s 2021 rule change played an important role in helping student-athletes like Dunne to benefit from their name, image, and likeness, which opened new doors for them. Via LSU Tiger TV, she spoke about her plans, stating (0:44 onwards):
“I don't think I'll ever be a gymnastics coach, because I did try that before and I wasn't very good at it. But I think I'll do something in the NIL realm, or something with LSU in the future, because I do love the school, and I wouldn't have [been] where I am today if it wasn't for them.”
The 22-year-old further reflected on how she hoped to leave behind a legacy that focuses on personal growth and influence beyond athletic achievements. By this, she meant that she wanted college athletes to recognize their value beyond performance and find purpose in life that isn’t only tied to their sport.
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