Pirates Star's GF Livvy Dunne Releases Gymnastics Retirement Video

PITTSBURGH — Livvy Dunne, girlfriend of Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes, recently announced her retirement from gymnastics.

Dunne's career spanned of 20 years of hard work, from growing up in Hillsdale, N.J., to competing for the United States Women's Gymnastics National Team and for LSU.

She just finished her fifth season with LSU gymnastics, where they finished third at the National Championships. She helped LSU win their first National Title in the 2023-24 season, as well as setting a career-high of 9.900 on floor twice. She also spent time o the U.S. National Team back in 2017.

Dunne released a video on her retirement, thanking gymastics for shaping her into the women she is today.

Thank you gymnastics❤️ pic.twitter.com/jj0gYCGJIJ
— Olivia Dunne (@livvydunne) April 21, 2025

Livvy Dunne Gymnastics Retirement Video Transcript

"Time flies when you’re having fun. Something said when you’re enjoying yourself to the point time seems to slip away from you and that’s exactly how the past 20 years in this sport have felt.

The highs, the lows, making the USA National Team and competing for our country. Every risk was worth the reward.

Finishing my career over the past five years at the best university in the world has been an incredible journey and I’m forever grateful.

Gymnastics. You have filled my heart and will always be a part of me. You have shaped me into the person I am today. Creating memories and sisterhoods that will last a lifetime beyond the sport. You were my first love.

To my family, especially my parents, thank you for everything. For supporting me through it all and to my childhood coaches from New Jersey and the LSU coaching staff, thank you, for pushing me to be great.

And yes, time did fly by, and I will cherish every memory for the rest of my life.

Thank you for everything gymnastics. You were so good to me."

Skenes and Dunne started dating each other back at LSU, and the two have been inseparable ever since.

The duo also featured in a GQ magazine feature, with the couple wearing designer clothes and taking photos in a rare snowstorm in Baton Rouge.

Dunne, prior to her retirement, was the most followed NCAA athlete on social media, including 5.3 million followers on Instagram and eight million followers on Tik Tok.

Skenes starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings, giving up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while notching 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks, leading the program to a national title that season.

He would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the No. 1 overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player at the time.

Skenes dominated in the minor leagues and soon made it up to the majors on May 11 of the 2024 season.

He started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133 innings, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while recording 170 strikeouts and holding opposing hitting to a .198 batting average. He also had a 11.50 K/9 and a WHIP of 0.95.

Skenes was the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He was also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers last doing so before him in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.

He also made the All-MLB First Team for his performance in 2024, won NL Rookie of the Year and was a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award.

Skenes is 2-2 in five starts this season, with a 2.87 ERA in 31.1 innings pitched, 30 strikeouts to four walks and an opposing batting average of .186.

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