Olivia Dunne is making a lot of NIL money — near, if not more, than $1 million annually.
She’s the highest paid female athlete in the NCAA, and her bevy of partnerships shows she is the gold standard for women in NIL.
RELATED: Livvy Dunne urges NIL collectives to give ‘equal opportunity for men and women’
In a recent interview with The Street, Dunne outlined her advice to new and incoming athletes on how to manage the NIL space early on.
“First and foremost, find a really good agent, that was the first thing I did, and just take your time. Don’t rush into anything, don’t be in a rush to make a lot of money. Take your time because it’ll come. NIL is such an unprecedented area,” Dunne said.
“At first, when it changed, nobody knew really what was going on, I didn’t, LSU didn’t, and other universities didn’t, and the brands didn’t know either. So, to just take your time and the money will be there.”
Dunne’s NIL career is something that will be studied for years to come. It’s been well documented that she is the queen of social media, boasting more followers on Instagram and TikTok than every Heisman candidate from this past season combined.
Her brand is far more than her skills on social media. She’s one of the elite gymnasts in the country, on one of the nation’s best programs. She has it all, and the brands have come running to sign her. An exclusive brand deal with Vuori, deals with American Eagle, Forever 21, Body Armor, and now her latest move, the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
RELATED: Livvy Dunne drops first-ever gymnastics trading card with Leaf Trading Cards
As one of the top earners in all the NCAA, Dunne has had to learn how to handle both her stardom and her dollars. When asked about other athletes who may fall into her shoes, Dunne says there’s power in a strong support network.
“Surround yourself with trustworthy people, that’s what I would say. I have my family, my coaches, my team, very trustworthy people. Make sure there’s people that aren’t going to use you for that money. For other athletes, especially, that are in college, I would say spend your money like a college student, put all that money away, invest it, and just spend it like a normal college kid.”
