Olivia Dunne could soon be cheering for Paul Skenes in Major League Baseball with her Pirates rookie boyfriend patiently awaiting his MLB debut in Pittsburgh.
Skenes, who joined the Pittsburgh Pirates as the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft after a stellar college career at LSU, has yet to make his professional bow for his new team 12 games into the 2024 season .
The 21-year-old pitcher instead plied his trade in the Triple-A league, where he averaged an astonishing 100.1 mph in 21 fastballs in late March.
His performances have been so electric that it’s hard to imagine the Pirates waiting any longer to introduce him to the big leagues – which would mark another memorable moment for him and Dunne early in their relationship.
The couple, who met at LSU, first went public with their romance in August after gymnastics sensation Dunne was spotted attending Skenes’ games for the Bradenton Marauders minor league team , and they have gone from strength to strength ever since.
Olivia Dunne may soon be cheering for her boyfriend Paul Skenes in Major League Baseball
Skenes is knocking on the door to make his professional debut in Pittsburgh after being selected as the first overall pick in the 2023 draft.
The 21-year-old pitcher confirmed his romance with Dunne, whom he met at LSU, in August
Since then, their relationship has gone from strength to strength, with the couple even getting a dog in October.
Dunne has gotten to see her man in action several times over the past eight months, as they have also attended college football and NFL games together.
Just months after confirming their relationship, the pair even bought their own dog together, launching a pet Instagram account for the pup in October.
By the time Thanksgiving rolled around a month later, their feelings had clearly grown even stronger, with Dunne – who has over 12 million followers across her Instagram and TikTok accounts – sharing an adorable photo collage featuring memories made with her boyfriend.
The holiday season then turned out to be romantic for them as they enjoyed a Christmas trip to New York, where they visited Times Square and took a helicopter tour of the Big Apple.
A few months ago, Dunne opened up about why she and Skenes have gotten along so well since sparks flew between them last year.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Sports Center, she gushed over the baseball starlet while saying their contrasting personalities blended perfectly.
Dunne has been able to see his man in action on several occasions over the past eight months.
The LSU gymnastics sensation has more than 12 million followers on Instagram and TikTok
The loved-up couple enjoyed a romantic trip to New York over the holidays.
The duo also posed in front of a helicopter before touring New York from above.
Dunne included photos of some of the memories she and Skenes have created so far in a Thanksgiving collage.
“He’s always cool-headed, that’s what I like about him,” she said.
“And I think we’re a really good couple because of that, because I have a crazy lifestyle and things come to me all the time.
“Sometimes my emotions swing up and down, and he’s very neutral. I just think it’s a really good match.
Dunne is one of the most famous online personalities in American sports, as well as a star gymnast at LSU.
According to On3’s NIL tracker, the social media phenomenon’s estimated annual earnings from her name, image and likeness is around $3.5 million, while she has also benefited from partnerships with companies like Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Body Armour, American Eagle Outfitters and Motorola.
Breaking his silence about their relationship in August, Skenes admitted that Dunne’s unique level of fame could be frustrating for the couple.
She explained that they make a “really good” couple because their personalities blend together perfectly.
“It’s nice, for sure,” he said, via Jason Mackey of the romance. “It can be a pain sometimes, to be honest, having to go somewhere.
“If one of us went out to Baton Rouge (La.) alone, there would probably be someone there who would ask for something – a picture, an autograph, whatever.”
While they certainly enjoy each other’s company, the attention on Skenes and his girlfriend will surely increase even more if he actually makes his MLB debut for the Pirates this season.
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