LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne has carved out a path as one of the most influential athletes in the modern era of college athletics. Dunne, who recently wrapped up her fifth season with Jay Clark and the LSU Tigers Gymnastics program, has become the face of the new NIL era of sports. The former Tiger flaunted […]
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne has carved out a path as one of the most influential athletes in the modern era of college athletics.
Dunne, who recently wrapped up her fifth season with Jay Clark and the LSU Tigers Gymnastics program, has become the face of the new NIL era of sports.
The former Tiger flaunted the highest NIL valuation with multiple brand deals coming her way across her time in Baton Rouge.
Now, she’s found herself on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Swimsuit Edition.
“Olivia Dunne’s why goes far beyond the floor and bars—it’s about changing the game for athletes everywhere. She was one of the first to leverage the power of name, image and likeness deals, building a brand that’s both financially successful and rooted in showing the real Livvy,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day explains.
“She’s not just a social media sensation; she’s a pioneering force who has created opportunities for herself and, by extension, countless other athletes by demonstrating how to navigate the intersection of sports, business and digital influence.”
Dunne has been in the magazine on multiple occasions, but the opportunity to be a cover model is one that had her gushing once she heard the news.
READ: Meet Your Cover Model: Olivia Dunne Has Paved a Path of Her Own to This SI Swimsuit 2025 Cover
“Are you kidding me? Thank you so much. Oh my god, MJ, this is a dream come true,” Dunne gushed with small tears of joy forming in her eyes. “I can’t believe it. Oh my god. That photo is so good.
“That is crazy, I am a Sports Illustrated Swimsuitcover model. This bikini … this was the one. I felt like such a baddie in it. This is the best day of my life. This is so exciting.”
Dunne has helped pave the way of the new name, image and likeness era in college athletics.
After garnering a significant following across the popular social media application, TikTok, Dunne continued reeling in brand deals.
From there, her following across Instagram and other platforms blossomed.
“That’s a really hard thing for people to wrap their head around,” she explains, adding that she didn’t follow in anyone’s footsteps. “Nobody else has done it before me, so I’m kind of just writing my own story here.”
“It’s possible for any young girl to do,” she says. “I want to provide education on how to get started and how to [put] yourself at the forefront of something that’s still so new.”
Now, with Dunne’s college career in the rearview mirror, she will look towards a new chapter as a social media icon.
“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,” she continues.
“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, and fight for what’s right.”
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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU Tigers.
Report: Penn State men’s hockey’s JJ Wiebusch set to get Rangers development camp invitation | Penn State Men’s Hockey News
After a promising 2024-25 campaign, a Nittany Lion is expected an invitation to a professional development camp. JJ Wiebusch is among many anticipated to receive an invite to the New York Rangers’ development camp this summer, according to a report by New York Post reporter Mollie Walker. The Wisconsin native ranked third on Penn State […]
After a promising 2024-25 campaign, a Nittany Lion is expected an invitation to a professional development camp.
JJ Wiebusch is among many anticipated to receive an invite to the New York Rangers’ development camp this summer, according to a report by New York Post reporter Mollie Walker.
The Wisconsin native ranked third on Penn State in points with 33 in his freshman campaign.
Wiebusch, 21, is ineligible for the 2025 NHL entry draft due to his age. North American born players must be between the ages 18-20 to be eligible.
MORE HOCKEY COVERAGE
Penn State’s unlikely Frozen Four run ended in a heartbreak at the hands of Boston University.
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Doughty and Dee Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors
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STANDISH, Maine – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced the recipients of the 2025 Baseball Academic All-District honors on Tuesday afternoon, recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their performance both on the field and in the classroom. Two Saint Joseph’s College of Maine baseball players were selected: Senior Logan Dee […]
STANDISH, Maine – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced the recipients of the 2025 Baseball Academic All-District honors on Tuesday afternoon, recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their performance both on the field and in the classroom. Two Saint Joseph’s College of Maine baseball players were selected: Senior Logan Dee (Laconia, N.H.) and Junior Luke Doughty (York, Maine.) received the honors.
To qualify for the CSC Academic All-District Team, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore in academic standing and maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.50 or higher. On the field, student-athletes must have competed in 90% of their team’s games or started in at least 66% of the total games played. For pitchers, eligibility requires a minimum of 35 innings pitched or appearances in at least 17 games.
Dee appeared in 11 games and started eight, pitching a total of 49.1 innings. He recorded a 2-1 record with a 4.38 ERA and totaled 42 strikeouts, ranking second on the team in innings pitched and third in strikeouts. Highlights of his season include three strikeouts and one run allowed over 4.0 innings at Bates (Mar. 18), a career-long 8.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts vs. Saint Joseph (Conn.) (Apr. 4), 6.1 innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts vs. Rivier (Apr. 17), and a career-high nine strikeouts in 7.0 innings at New England College (Apr. 27).
Doughty played in 34 games, starting 32, and finished the season with a .261 batting average. He collected 29 hits, 23 runs, 13 walks, 12 RBIs, and one stolen base, ranking second on the team in walks. Highlights of his season include two hits, a double, a run, and an RBI in the opener vs. Penn State Brandywine (Mar. 9), a career-matching three hits, two runs, and two RBIs vs. Penn State Abington (Mar. 14), another three-hit game at Lasell (Mar. 22), and a strong all-around performance vs. Rivier (Apr. 17) with two hits, two runs, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base.
The CSC honors reflect the steady contributions of these two student-athletes over the course of the 2025 season. Saint Joseph’s posted a 20-19 overall record, including an 10-7 mark in conference play, under the watch of 33rd-year Head Coach Will Sanborn ’86 this 2025 season.
USC Trojans 5-Star Commit Mark Bowman: Biggest NIL Deal In College Football?
The USC Trojans landed a major recruiting victory with the commitment of five-star tight end Mark Bowman, a Mater Dei standout and the No. 1 player at his position in the 2026 class. Bowman’s decision to join the Trojans not only strengthens USC’s grip on the top recruiting class in the country, but it also […]
The USC Trojans landed a major recruiting victory with the commitment of five-star tight end Mark Bowman, a Mater Dei standout and the No. 1 player at his position in the 2026 class. Bowman’s decision to join the Trojans not only strengthens USC’s grip on the top recruiting class in the country, but it also comes with one of the more lucrative Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) projections ever for a high school football player.
According to reports from On3’s Scott Schrader, Bowman could earn between $8 million and $10 million in NIL during his time spent at USC. Schrader made clear that those figures were not confirmed by USC or Bowman directly, but the offers being discussed would place him among the highest-valued high school athletes in the modern NIL era.
The financial package reportedly includes structured payments that could begin before Early National Signing Day, with additional benchmarks throughout his collegiate career. That puts Bowman in rare territory, with an NIL opportunity on par with or even exceeding what most college skill players make over a full four-year span.
Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee’s Immediate Reaction to Friend’s College Acceptance
Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee’s Immediate Reaction to Friend’s College Acceptance originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Olympic gymnast Suni Lee was right by her best friend Katie Fang’s side for a major milestone. Advertisement On Monday afternoon, Fang, a 19-year-old influencer, posted a TikTok capturing the moment she learned she’d been accepted into New York University. […]
Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee’s Immediate Reaction to Friend’s College Acceptance originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Olympic gymnast Suni Lee was right by her best friend Katie Fang’s side for a major milestone.
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On Monday afternoon, Fang, a 19-year-old influencer, posted a TikTok capturing the moment she learned she’d been accepted into New York University. Sitting beside her in her NYC apartment, Lee joined in the celebration as the two screamed with excitement and hugged in pure joy.
“I know you don’t like being touched, but can we hold hands?” Fang asked Lee right before opening her letter. The duo held hands and counted down from five before the influencer opened her decision portal.
When the two realized Fang got in, the two friends screamed, jumped around with joy and hugged each other. At one point, Fang ran back to her computer to reread the acceptance letter, then turned toward the window, lifted her shirt and flashed her neighbors. Meanwhile, the 22-year-old gymnast starts laughing right in front of the camera, clearly just as thrilled.
Minutes after the video was shared to social media, Lee commented on Fang’s post, saying “go bobcats !!!” with two purple hearts. In less than twelve hours of the TikTok going live, it has hit almost one million views and 200,000 likes.
Suni Lee of the United States during the women’s team final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.Jack Gruber-Imagn Images
Fang and Lee have been close friends since the 22-year-old gymnast moved to New York in the fall of 2024. They frequently post with each other on TikTok and Instagram, plus recently got tattoos together.
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After a successful run at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where Lee won a bronze medal in the uneven bars final and helped Team USA secure gold, the gymnast is now living her life in the Big Apple. She was born and raised in St Paul, Minnesota.
Related: Simone Biles Had Four Words for Suni Lee in New Post
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Ashley ‘AJ’ Johnson Named Head Coach of Colorado College Women’s Lacrosse
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**Release courtesy of Colorado College Sports information COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –Current four-year women’s lacrosse assistant coach, Ashley Johnson, has been named the second head coach in Colorado College women’s lacrosse history, Vice President and Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine announced Monday, June 2. Johnson has spent the last four seasons as […]
**Release courtesy of Colorado College Sports information
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.
–Current four-year women’s lacrosse assistant coach, Ashley Johnson, has been named the second head coach in Colorado College women’s lacrosse history, Vice President and Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine announced Monday, June 2.
Johnson has spent the last four seasons as the top assistant under Susan “Stuey” Stuart, who retired at the end of the 2025 season after 31 years as the program’s only head coach.
“Women’s Lacrosse has an incredible history of success here at Colorado College and has established itself as one of the best in the nation,” Irvine said. “AJ has been a huge part of that momentum during her recent time here and is absolutely ready for this opportunity. I look forward to honoring the legacy that Stuey helped build while working with AJ to leverage the foundation to continue to chase championships.”
Originally from Arvada, Colo., Johnson has over 15 years of coaching experience at the DIII, DI, and national team levels. In her four seasons as the assistant coach at CC, the Tigers compiled a 51-28 record, culminating in back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2024.
“Passing the torch to AJ makes me so excited for her and the lacrosse program,” Stuart said. “She is an exceptional coach who has elevated the program since she arrived because of her attention to detail in all aspects of the job. Her understanding of life on the block plan and how to recruit student-athletes who will thrive in the high-energy environment of Colorado College will make the transition seamless for our incoming class and our current players.”
CC has gone 34-19 in the last two years and won consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. In 2025, the Tigers tied a program record for wins in a season with an 18-4 record and Johnson and Stuart were named the WIAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Stuey,” Johnson said. “Her leadership, friendship and belief in me as an assistant coach have helped prepare me for this next step. Her dedication to this program is a prominent foundation, with over 30 years of tradition, and that is something to cherish. I know I am stepping into something special, and I don’t take that lightly. I look forward to elevating and empowering our current student-athletes and leading this team into its next great chapter.”
Johnson has helped produce three All-Americans, 28 all-region selections and 25 all-conference honorees. CC has had eight players win major conference awards between the SCAC and WIAC.
“I want to also sincerely thank Lesley Irvine for her support and trust in my vision for the future of CC women’s lacrosse,” Johnson said. “I’m honored to lead Colorado College as the next head coach. This transition is exciting, and I deeply value our shared vision for excellence and support of our student-athletes on and off the field.”
Before Colorado College, Johnson spent six seasons at the University of California-Davis, where she served as the top assistant since the fall of 2015. While at Davis, Johnson was the offensive coordinator, draw specialist and goaltender coach, as well as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
In 2021, she helped guide the Aggies to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship as well as their third consecutive No. 1 seed for the MPSF Tournament. She helped lead UC Davis to a 12-4 record, the program’s best since 2004, and coached the league’s player of the year as well as seven first-team all-MPSF selections.
Prior to Davis, Johnson served two seasons as the assistant at Marist College (2013-15) and three at Wagner College (2010-13), where she began her coaching career as a graduate assistant and was quickly promoted to first assistant.
Johnson has coached at the national team level most recently with Team Mexico in the 2024 U20 Women’s Lacrosse Championship in Hong Kong. She was also the assistant coach of the Ugandan National Team in 2020.
She played DI lacrosse at Mount St. Mary’s University, where she was named a first-team All-NEC selection as an attacker in 2010 and a midfielder in 2008.
MSU Football Will Be Competitive in NIL Under New AD
Michigan State has hired Georgia Tech’s J Batt as its newest athletic director. Batt replaces Alan Haller, who held the position for four years before being let go last month. MSU was seeking an athletic director who would revitalize fundraising and modernize the athletic program’s revenue. Batt did so at GT, where he helped fundraise […]
Michigan State has hired Georgia Tech’s J Batt as its newest athletic director.
Batt replaces Alan Haller, who held the position for four years before being let go last month. MSU was seeking an athletic director who would revitalize fundraising and modernize the athletic program’s revenue.
Batt did so at GT, where he helped fundraise and improve the football and basketball programs in Atlanta. Many, including former MSU football head coach Nick Saban, have had good things to say about the Spartans’ newest athletic director.
MSU has not been competitive on or off the football field in the last few years. Whether that is because of the product on the field, a lack of competitiveness in the NIL department, or both, the hiring of Batt should shore up at least one of these issues.