LSU gymnastics was without one of its most recognizable stars in Thursday's semifinal round of the women's NCAA gymnastics championships. And the Tigers could be without her again in Saturday's final.
Olivia Dunne was notably absent from the first of two semifinal competitions on Thursday, instead cheering her team on as the Tigers managed a surprising first-place finish in their semifinal with a final score of 197.4750. Fellow SEC program Florida finished second with a score of 197.000, eliminating Cal and Denver.
LSU's score was good for fourth-best score on Thursday, with three teams from the other semifinal — Oklahoma, Utah and UCLA — all scoring higher. But only the two highest-scoring teams advanced from each semifinal, leaving a Final Four comprising the Tigers, Gators, Sooners and Utes.
Regardless, some fans will want to know whether Dunne — a social media sensation who has contributed only sparingly to LSU's team this season — will compete in Saturday's final competition.
Here's everything you need to know about Dunne's status as LSU seeks to win the 2023 women's NCAA gymnastics championships:
Will Olivia Dunne compete in NCAA gymnastics championships?
LSU hasn't released its lineup for Saturday's NCAA gymnastics championships, and isn't likely to do so before the start of competition at 1 p.m. ET. Dunne has not competed since the second round of the NCAA regionals on Friday, March 31.
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Is Olivia Dunne hurt?
LSU gymnastics coach Jay Clark did not provide a reason for Dunne's absence from the NCAA championships semifinals on Thursday. Nor did he address any injury concerns, or whether she would compete in Saturday's finals.
That said, Dunne has faced myriad injuries this season that have largely kept her out of LSU's competitions. She posted a TikTok on Jan. 31 in which she said her reportedly torn labrums were "screaming" as she did a handstand. A user commented, "No way you doing that on two torn labrum’s *(sic),” to which Dunne replied, “and a torn bicep.”
Dunne also suffered a stress reaction to her foot in December, which reportedly flared up in a Jan. 27 meet vs. Arkansas that caused her to miss more time — a development Clark described at the time as "frustrating." She has been seen wearing a walking boot periodically throughout the season.
For what it's worth, Dunne on Thursday posted a picture of herself performing on the floor with the caption, "Final Four on the floor." She did not compete in that event on Thursday, nor any other event.
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Indeed, Dunne has only registered four official scores for LSU this season, all on bars. She has not competed in any of the gymnastics championships events following the second round of the NCAA regionals on March 31.
Here are her scores from this season:
| Date | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 24 | at No. 9 Alabama | 9.825 |
| March 3 | Podium Challenge | 9.825 |
| March 18 | SEC championship | 9.850 |
| March 31 | NCAA regional second round | 9.650 |
It remains to be seen whether Dunne will have one final showing this season.
This story will be updated.