As Paul Skenes rises to stardom in his rookie year in the MLB, the Pittsburgh Pirates star talked about meeting his girlfriend Olivia Dunne and how she helped him cope with fame.
The couple, both LSU products, first sparked dating rumors in June 2023 when Dunne posted a video wearing Skenes’ jersey for her millions of TikTok followers. In August of that year, Skenes confirmed their relationship.
In an interview with ESPN, Skenes detailed the development of his relationship with the LSU gymnastics star and mega-influencer.
A friend of Skenes was dating Tigers gymnast Elena Arenas and introduced the pitcher to her roommate Dunne.
Skenes added that he couldn’t remember if they had sushi, ice cream or both on their first date, but he did remember trying to go out as discreetly as possible.
Paul Skenes told ESPN how he and Olivia Dunne met and started dating
Skenes met Dunne through a friend who was dating one of the gymnast’s LSU teammates
“If we had been discovered, it would have caused a stir in Baton Rouge,” Skenes told ESPN.
When his old friend Doyle Gehring heard rumors of their budding romance last year, he asked Skenes bluntly, “Are you talking to Livvy Dunne?”
“Well…” said Skenes, and the silence during the never-finished sentence was confirmation enough.
Skenes and Dunne have been together for over a year now and their relationship is public. They are a headline-grabbing tandem. While some shy away from their partner’s fame, Skenes found Dunne’s fame helpful as he built his own celebrity.
Dunne recently committed to spending another year with the Tigers in the fall
Skenes was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates as the number 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft.
Dunne and Skenes sparked dating rumors in June 2023 and confirmed their romance in August
Skenes talked about how Dunne’s experience in the spotlight helped him navigate the world of celebrity.
“She knows how to handle it, and I know how to handle it now,” he said. “She was so good to me.”
Although Skenes’ professional career has started well, Dunne has decided to return to Baton Rouge for a fifth season with the Tigers.
Her decision came after the gymnastics team brought LSU’s first NCAA title in the sport back to campus following a dominant season.
