The 2025 NCAA season was supposed to be Olivia Dunne’s final curtain call. Her fifth and final year at LSU. But instead of basking in the senior sendoff and helping her team to a title defense, she has been stuck on the sidelines. The reason? A brutal kneecap injury back in March, which she recently opened up about. The injury knocked her out of LSU’s Senior Night and most of the season. “It absolutely breaks my heart not to get the opportunity to compete in the PMAC one last time,” she shared on Instagram. So is her career over? Is this it?

After all, the injury she had suffered was an avulsion fracture of her patella. This means that a chunk of her kneecap pulled away from the tendon due to overuse. Her status heading into the NCAA Championships has only stirred up more speculation due to injury. When asked about her future, Dunne didn’t rule anything out—but she didn’t confirm anything either.

“I’m doing everything I can to be able to,” she said to PEOPLE. “I’m not sure what the case will be, but I don’t think I’ll be able to tumble or do beam.” That alone made it sound like she was gearing up to step away for good—until she dropped this: “Bars is not out of the question.” She added, “I’ve been swinging bars again, getting back in the swing of things, shall I say… And yeah, it’s been great to be able to move around again.”

Now here’s where things get interesting. Olivia Dunne’s fifth year wasn’t because of a redshirt—it was granted under the NCAA’s COVID eligibility relief, which gave athletes an extra year due to the disrupted 2020 season. But since her 2025 season was cut short by injury, she could still be eligible for a sixth year through a medical redshirt.

So, NCAA rules allow athletes to apply for an additional year if they compete in less than 30% of the season and the injury happens before the midpoint, both of which apply to Dunne. If LSU applies and it’s approved, she could be back in 2026, even if it’s just as a bars specialist. But at the same time, she’d already shocked fans last year when Olivia Dunne announced her return for a fifth year. Remember how the fans bashed her?

Critics came for Olivia Dunne, and she came back stronger

Olivia Dunne’s decision to return to LSU gymnastics for a fifth year stirred up a mix of reactions—some fans were excited, but others didn’t hold back with criticism. After announcing her return, Dunne faced backlash online, especially on TikTok, where one commenter mocked her by saying, “It’s time to graduate.” She didn’t let it slide.

Dunne clapped back in a video, saying, “I don’t really understand what’s so hard to get. I came to college in 2020, got granted a fifth year because of COVID, and I came back for the fifth year.” She made it clear that her return was within NCAA rules, but more importantly, she called out the double standard, noting that LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is also returning for a fifth year, without anyone questioning him.

“I only ever see this comment on female athletes’ posts,” she added, highlighting how gender bias still creeps into sports commentary. On top of that, Dunne was hit with accusations of being selfish or entitled—claims that she shut down quickly with facts. Olivia Dunne revealed that she gave up her athletic scholarship this year to free up space for another teammate to join the roster.

With this, Livvy has directly debunked the idea that she was taking advantage of the system. The criticism didn’t stop there; her influence in gymnastics often makes her a lightning rod for hot takes, especially when she uses her platform to call out deeper issues, like fan engagement and scoring. But Dunne’s been unapologetically honest through it all.