- NCAA. JuJu Watkins and how being from Los Angeles may hurt her in her goal to sur Caitlin Clark
- NCAA. Pressure on Nike to deliver for Caitlin Clark after Paige Bueckers got a different deal
Olivia Dunne seems excited to kick off her college gymnastics season as she posts a video to social media highlighting how close the campaign is to starting as she and the LSU Tigers look to retain their national championship.
The 22-year-old is in her final year of eligibility and will look to sign off by becoming a two-time champion around 12 months after LSU won their first title in Fort Worth by beating the California Golden Bears and Utah Utes.
And whilst she will face tough competition from the likes of the Golden Bears, Utes and Jordan Chiles' UCLA Bruins, she isn't deterred from the challenge as she posts a video dancing in her leotard suggesting the pressure isn't getting to her.
"How life feels knowing meet szn is starting," Dunne captioned a post to TikTok, where she puts on the purple/blue Tigers' uniform to produce some small moves with a beaming smile all over her face.
She also added, "Y'all better BE THERE," calling for the of her millions of fans.
Tigers get tough reality check
The Tigers should be coming into the 2024/25 season full of confidence after claiming their first title in college history, but according to their coach Jay Clark, it seems as though the nerves are creeping in.
After their first warm-up at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, the Tigers' maestro called for Dunne and the other seniors to step up their game, although he did praise Kayin Chio's efforts.
"[Some] looked really ready, others looked scared and timid," Clark told reporters. "It's just kind of a mixed bag.
"But you know, at the end of the day, I told them from the jump we're just trying to get a baseline today."
However, based on Dunne's own words back in September it may not be a matter of pressure but more of a matter of some rusty gears after a lengthy period of time away from the gymnastics floor.
"It's just hard," Dunne said of getting back into the sport. "Coming back from such a crazy summer and then having to do these things, it's such an awakening."