In November 2022, The New York Times published a story, “New Endorsements for College Athletes Resurface an Old Concern: Sex Sells.” The article concerned the growth of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in women’s college sports and how some female college athletes, based on their large social media followings and conventional attractiveness, were being rewarded for “traditional feminine desirability over athletic excellence.”

The lead image of the article was of LSU gymnast Olivia “Livvy” Dunne, wearing her gymnastics leotard while standing behind a balance beam. With a massive social media following and millions in NIL money, Dunne had become the face of this new era. And the placement of “Sex Sells” in the headline next to her photo was hard not to notice.

“…the new flood of money — and the way many female athletes are attaining it — troubles some who have fought for equitable treatment in women’s sports and say that it rewards traditional feminine desirability over athletic excellence,” wrote reporter Kurt Streeter. “And while the female athletes I spoke to said they were consciously deciding whether to play up or down their sexuality, some observers say that the market is dictating that choice.”

Dunne, who has previously criticized the story and its presentation to her, expressed similar thoughts during a recent appearance on What’s Your Story? podcast.

“They came to our gymnastics facility at LSU, took pictures of me. They said, ‘wear your team-issued attire, put on a leotard,’ and they took a picture of me standing in front of the beam, like any gymnast would, and then they blew it up on the screen and put the headline, ‘Sex Sells,’” Dunne said. “Okay, well, you just came into the facility and took pictures of me in our team-issued attire and blew it up on a screen… So I was like, ‘okay, well, this is crazy.’ And there was obviously a lot of backlash to the New York Times because of that.”

The former LSU gymnast also shared that after mocking the Times on social media, that led to Sports Illustrated reaching out and offering her a spot in their swimsuit edition.

“I decided I was going to put that same picture that they posted and captioned ‘sex sells’ on my Instagram story and write ‘@The New York Times, is this too much?’ Because, come on, you know what you’re doing. You just put a picture of me in a leotard for clicks and then caption it ‘sex sells,” Dunne said.

“And then people loved that. They were like this is so great because no, it’s not too much. You’re in your team-issued attire, which is a leotard for gymnasts. There was a lot of positive feedback from that. So, Sports Illustrated reached out to my agent. I was so excited about that. That was always a dream of mine. There’s some legends and some amazing athletes that have been in Sports Illustrated.”

These comments echo comments she made in 2023 on the Full Send Podcast, when she called the article “BS,” and claimed the reporter asked her “weird” and “odd” questions.

“It was complete BS. I mean, they called me on the phone in November and they told me that they were going to write about my accomplishments and stuff, and I was like, ‘OK, for sure. That’s awesome. The New York Times. That’s huge,’” she said.

“The interviewer called me and he was asking me very odd questions. It was worded quite weird,” she explained. “He was like, ‘So, how does it feel to be a small petite blonde gymnast doing so well with NIL.’ I was just like, ‘Why does it matter that I’m petite and blonde?’ You can just ask me about NIL without you having to use these weird ways of saying it.”

Dunne also made several videos in response to the New York Times article after it was published.

LA CROSSE — The Duluth Huskies used an eight-run sixth inning to turn around their game at the La Crosse Loggers and eventually win it 10-9 on Friday night.

The Huskies were down 7-2 through five innings before their breakout, which began with four straight hits, including a two-run triple from Nate Novitske. Novitske came in on an RBI groundout to make it a one-run game. Trey Craig’s two-run double gave the Huskies the lead and Nate Vargas followed with a two-run homer.

The Loggers pulled a run back in the bottom half of the inning and closed to within one in the eighth, but Huskies closer Danny Hesse worked around a leadoff single to finish off the win.

Vargas led the Huskies, going 3-for-4. He also homered in the second inning. Noah Furcht and Jake Downing recorded two hits apiece.

Proctor native Nick Terhaar allowed two runs on three hits in the fifth inning but was the pitcher of record when the Huskies rallied and earned the win.

Duluth (12-4 second half) will face the Loggers in La Crosse again on Saturday.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

The hockey world is buzzing as Gavin McKenna, projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, makes a decision that could change everything for future NHL stars. At just 17 years old, McKenna isn’t just grabbing headlines for his jaw-dropping stats and electric potential on ice. He’s rewriting the playbook by ditching the Canadian Hockey League for NCAA hockey, committing to Penn State University with NIL compensation reportedly around $700,000.

Why Did Gavin McKenna Choose College Over Junior Hockey?

This move goes way deeper than McKenna’s individual career path. It signals a seismic shift in hockey development that has executives, scouts, and players watching closely.

After his record-breaking campaign with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League, where he racked up 129 points in just 56 games, McKenna could have easily returned to dominate Canadian junior hockey again. Instead, he’s betting on the college route, bringing a wave of change that reflects the evolving relationship between the NCAA, CHL, and NHL.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Until recently, NCAA rules blocked players from Canadian junior teams from suiting up for Division I hockey. That barrier crumbled last November when the NCAA made its landmark NIL ruling, opening the door for CHL players to compete in U.S. college hockey.

Penn State Earns Commitment From Top NHL Prospect, Gavin McKenna!!

The reigning WHL and CHL Player of the Year becomes the highest rated recruit to choose NCAA hockey, set to join the Nittany Lions this fall!!#WeAre #HockeyValley

Read ⬇️⬇️https://t.co/CEznSuTRKQ

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) July 10, 2025

The new rule kicks in this August, and McKenna stands as one of the first marquee prospects to jump on this opportunity. His choice isn’t just making history; it’s a ringing endorsement of college hockey as a legitimate path for elite prospects.

“Both options were great, but I just think going to college, being in such a great conference, it’ll really challenge me and prepare me,” McKenna said.

What Does McKenna’s Star-Power Agent Bring to the Table?

McKenna’s journey gets even more intriguing when you look at who’s steering his career. He’s teamed up with legendary NHL agent Pat Brisson, the same power broker who guided first-overall picks Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and John Tavares to stardom. Brisson and rising CAA agent Matt Williams now have their hands full managing someone many consider hockey’s next generational talent.

For McKenna, picking Penn State over CHL powerhouses or even other top NCAA programs like Michigan State, who reportedly dangled $200,000 to $300,000 in NIL money, wasn’t purely about the cash. Development played a huge role.

College hockey throws younger players into battles against older, stronger, more experienced competition, especially in a brutal conference like the Big Ten. It’s a similar strategy as recent top picks like Auston Matthews (who played in Switzerland before the draft) and Macklin Celebrini (who starred at Boston University) used to sharpen their games before jumping to the NHL.

McKenna gets a chance to fine-tune his skills against top-tier competition before making his professional leap.

How Does This Set Up McKenna’s NHL Future?

That leap to the pros looks virtually guaranteed. If McKenna gets selected first overall in 2026 as everyone expects, he’ll likely step straight into an NHL lineup, following the blueprint of countless top picks before him.

McKenna would also join exclusive company, becoming just the fourth winger in the past 15 years to go first overall, alongside Nail Yakupov (2012, Alexis Lafreniere (2020), and Juraj Slafkovsky (2022). But unlike those three, McKenna is already generating the kind of early buzz and excitement usually reserved for franchise centers like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.

Meanwhile, Canadian hockey officials are taking McKenna’s decision in stride. While many fans and league executives would have loved to see him continue tearing up the CHL, the Ontario Hockey League and other circuits are staying calm. OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford has acknowledged McKenna’s choice and is reportedly working with him and his representation moving forward.

McKenna’s move to Penn State represents more than one player changing paths. It’s the first major test of how the new NCAA rules will reshape hockey development, potentially opening floodgates for other elite prospects to consider college hockey as a serious alternative to traditional junior routes.

Two of Penn State’s newest players will compete for a spot on Team USA’s U19 team.

Defenseman Sophie Morrow and forward Mikah Keller received invites to the USA Hockey U19 Camp.

𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩: USA Hockey U19 Camp for Sophie Morrow & Mikah Keller 🏒 #WeAre pic.twitter.com/IOQ9ZihVit

— Penn State Women’s Hockey (@PennStateWHKY) July 17, 2025

Morrow is coming off a strong season from the blue line, tallying 35 points across 46 games for Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep.

Keller was a point-scoring machine before starting her collegiate career. Across 24 games in her final season, she totaled 18 goals and 35 points.

The Nittany Lions are no strangers to international competition as Morrow and Keller will look to join the likes of Tessa Janecke and Nicole Hall, who’ve previously competed for their respective countries.

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