A college athlete revealed how she stopped attending classes in person after she began receiving several threats.
Olivia Dunne, a gymnast with Louisiana State University (LSU) who went to the NCAA Championships in 2023, spoke with NJ.com about her rising fame and threats she received that led to her leaving in-person classes.
“I had a scare once with a message that I got about a class I was going to, and I was like, you know what, it’s not worth it,” Dunne explained. “It was a threat. It seemed like they knew where I was at and what class, and I just decided better (to be) safe than sorry.”
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne reveals what led to her no longer attending classes in-person https://t.co/s0RxKrvxw8
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Dunne, who has gone on to sign endorsement deals with fashion chains such as American Eagle, Forever 21, and Vuori, has also been included in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.
In one instance, Dunne received a death threat from an alleged stalker through Instagram on December 2, 2021, according to a LSU police report.
The stalker reportedly threatened to “shoot up” the school. Dunne later blocked the stalker, and the LSU Police Department launched an investigation. No arrest was made.
In a separate incident, Dunne’s head coach, Jay Clark, called the police after observing an unidentified man watching the gymnastics team on Feb. 9, 2022, according to another police report. Video surveillance footage reportedly showed three men walking around the outside of the building prior to the man entering.
“It’s not about people swarming me – people at LSU are used to me at this point,” Dunne added, explaining that she feels safe attending campus events like football games.
Before her interview with NJ.com, Dunne told Elle magazine she did not attend classes in person due to “safety reasons.”