Olivia Dunne reacts to LSU Gymnastics’ tribute online to homegrown gymnast and her former teammate

Olivia Dunne recently expressed her reaction to LSU's heartfelt message for her former teammate and Louisiana gymnast, Sierra Ballard. Ballard, having joined the team in 2021 as a freshman, concluded her chapter with the Tigers after the 2025 season.

An NCAA All-American, Ballard majorly in beam balance, vaults, and floor exercises events. She also competed in beam balance and floor exercise during the 2025 NCAA semifinals, scoring 9.8750 and 9.8250, respectively, but eventually came up short as the Tigers failed to qualify for the finals. This meeting also turned out to be Ballard's final competition for the Tigers.

Just a few months after the event, the LSU gymnastics team penned a message to thank Ballard for her contribution to the program. The message stated (via LSU Gymnastics' Instagram):

"The heart and soul of a Tiger. Thankful for this Louisiana girl who forever left her mark on Tiger Nation."

Dunne, who concluded her collegiate career at the same time as Ballard, dropped a few emojis to express her love on the post. She commented:

"💜💜💜"

Screenshot of Dune's reaction on LSU Gymnastics' post (Image via: LSU Gymnastics' Instagram handle)

Olivia Dunne, unlike Ballard, had to miss most of the collegiate meets of her last year due to an injury concern over her knee.

Olivia Dunne makes her feelings known on a special feat after LSU stint

Olivia Dunne (Image via: Getty)

Olivia Dunne expressed her feelings on receiving the opportunity to grace the 2025 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. The former LSU gymnast was one of the models on the cover page of the magazine along with others such as Lauren Chen and Jordan Chiles.

Speaking in an interview, Dunne shared that this opportunity helped her discover a version of herself, and she hopes that the readers of the issue and other athletes can take inspiration from her story. She said (via Sports Illustrated Swimsuit):

"I feel like I’m just stepping into a new version of myself. This is the most special thing that’s ever happened to me. I want this [cover image] to capture the audience and then they flip the page open and it’s just a badass story inside. I am proud to be an SI [Swimsuit] model. Thank you so much for making my dreams come true. I just hope that other athletes feel inspired and hear my story."

The chief editor of the issue, MJ Day, had also praised Olivia Dunne for the latter's qualities as a human being and the value that she brought to this project.