Olivia Dunne, famed LSU gymnast, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and social media star, has launched a fund geared towards helping female athletes at LSU get NIL funding.
The Livvy Fund will be dedicated to helping Lady Tiger athletes level the NIL playing field to compete with the money that male college athletes are earning. Specifically, the initiative will give female athletes industry tips and provide them with the connections they need to build a network.
Olivia “Livvy” Dunne attends as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Celebrates the 2023 Issue Release with Swimsuit Island at The Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on May 20, 2023, in Hollywood, Florida. (Alberto Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)
“I really just hope that [The Livvy Fund] is the first of many,” Dunne told SI. “I really hope to get as many women student-athletes on board as I can. I want to continue to elevate women’s sports as a whole because they really deserve the same publicity as the men’s.
“We do equal work, we put in equal time in our facilities every day and in school. So, I feel like it would be right for this to be equal.”
Olivia Dunne attends the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Launch at Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 18, 2023, in New York City. (Taylor Hill/WireImage)
Dunne, who, according to Sports Illustrated, is the top-earning college athlete in the country, chose to start the fund after becoming aware of the vast disparities in NIL earnings between men and women.
“The collectives mostly go to the men’s sports here at LSU, and I just want to fight for equal NIL opportunities,” Dunne explained. “It’s very important to help educate other student-athletes here at LSU on how to be a savvy businesswoman and how to partner with brands.
Olivia Dunne of LSU stretches before a meet against Auburn at Neville Arena on February 10, 2023, in Auburn, Alabama. (Stew Milne/Getty Images)
“Over the past two years, I’ve learned so much from these brands. So, I just want to help educate others and help give equal opportunities.”
Olivia “Livvy” Dunne attends as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Celebrates the 2023 Issue Release with Swimsuit Island at The Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on May 20, 2023, in Hollywood, Florida. (Alberto Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)
Dunne, who boasts hundreds of thousands of followers across various social media platforms, tells SI that she wants to grow the fund and see it spread nationwide across college campuses.