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Olivia Dunne is devastated that she can’t compete at her alma mater’s senior night one last time.
The gymnast revealed on Instagram Stories on Thursday, March 6 that a knee injury is preventing her from participating at the final home meet for the Louisiana State University Tigers.
“Hi friends! Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with an avulsion fracture of my patella and will not be able to compete on senior night,” the 22-year-old college athlete wrote.
“It absolutely breaks my heart to not get the opportunity to compete in the PMAC one last time,” Dunne continued, referencing the arena at LSU. “Tiger fans, you’ve been so good to me!”
An avulsion fracture happens when a fragment of the kneecap detaches because of an “excessive pull of the quadriceps tendon or patellar ligament,” according to the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.
While Dunne graduated from LSU in December 2024, that July she announced that she would continue to compete for the gymnastics team for a fifth year.
In April 2024, the Tigers won the NCAA gymnastics championship.
“Dear LSU, these past four years have changed my life,” she said in the video post announcing her return. “There’s something about putting on a purple and gold leotard. There’s something about competing in front of 13,000 screaming Tiger fans.”
She continued, “There’s something about being pushed by your coaches to be your very best. And there’s something about being a part of a team that made school history.”
In an Instagram post highlighting the upcoming senior night, LSU Game Operations explained that the last season home meet will involve “a senior tribute, giveaways, and an unforgettable experience with @lsugym.”
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The New Jersey native received an outpouring of love and support after her announcement. Dunne has made a name for herself and her team after being named WCGA Academic All-American in 2024. Since entering the sport as a young girl, she’s also competed in 11 national competitions and one international competition, according to USA Gymnastics.
Amidst training and entering competitions, Dunne has also found time to become a successful social media influencer. She currently has 5.3 million avid followers on Instagram and 8 million followers on TikTok.
People have noticed her work ethic, including W brand owner, Jake Paul, whom Dunne partnered with last October.
“Livvy’s not just a gymnast, she’s creating content on top of that, and people look at that as an easy thing to do, but it’s really a full-time job,” the professional boxer, 28, told PEOPLE at the time.
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