Olivia “Livvy” Dunne took her 5.3 million Instagram followers on a wild ride Saturday as the Grand Marshal of the Krewe of Endymion parade in New Orleans before Mardi Gras.
Clad in an emerald green gown, the star LSU gymnast — now in her fifth and final year with the Tigers — posted videos to her Instagram Story as she rode on a float through the city and tossed purple beaded necklaces to onlookers, who waved and cheered.
“Mardi gras livvy unlocked,” Dunne captioned a video of her parade ensemble in a TikTok video.
Dunne, who boasts a whopping eight million followers on the viral video platform, was selected as this year’s Grand Marshal because “her spirit and energy reflect that of Mardi Gras,” parade organizers said in a statement last month.
“We are incredibly excited to have Olivia Dunne as our Grand Marshal for the 2025 Endymion Parade,” Dan Kelly, the Endymion Captain, said, according to NOLA.com. “Her spirit and energy reflect that of Mardi Gras, and we can’t wait to celebrate this special occasion with her leading the way.”
Dunne participated in Saturday’s parade with a heavy heart following the death of fellow LSU athlete Dillon Reidenauer, who was tragically killed in a car crash Wednesday at the age of 18.
The gymnast and her Tigers teammates wore black ribbons in their hair to honor the pole vaulter during LSU’s meet against George Washington on Friday.
The Tigers defeated George Washington with a season-high score of 198.125-195.475.
The No. 2 ranked LSU is coming off a championship run, with the program earning its first national title in 2024.
It was a year filled with milestones for Dunne, who earned her undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies in December.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, who boasts an NIL valuation of $4.1 million, per On3 Sports, has been celebrated along the way by boyfriend Paul Skenes, the Pirates’ star pitcher and reigning NL Rookie of the Year.
The couple confirmed their romance in 2023.