The former collegiate gymnast and the Pittsburgh Pirates player confirmed their relationship in August 2023
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NEED TO KNOW
- Livvy Dunne opened up to PEOPLE about her relationship with Paul Skenes, revealing how she stays “present” in their long-distance relationship
- The former collegiate gymnast and the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, who met while attending Louisiana State University, began dating in 2023
- “We both are so busy that we understand if one another can’t be there for everything,” Dunne said of their relationship
Livvy Dunne and her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, have been making their relationship work while being miles apart.
During an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE on Feb. 7, the 23-year-old former gymnast discussed how she and the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher approach their long-distance romance.
"Honestly, I don't think we have any rules," Dunne said. "I just think being super present with one another while you're together, while you have that time together, is super important.”
She added, “I mean, he makes time to come to my events. I make time to go watch him pitch. I try to make every start I can."
The couple met while attending Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2023. Dunne was a member of LSU's gymnastics team from 2020 to 2025, and she has since retired from the sport. Meanwhile, Skenes, 23, made his MLB debut in 2024.
"I would kind of see him around, and I was like, ‘Who is this tall guy — this tall mysterious man,’ ” Dunne said on Flau’jae Johnson’s Best of Both Worlds podcast in 2024. "I literally had no clue who he was, but I would just see him around."
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They have been supportive of each other's careers ever since they confirmed their relationship in August 2023.
"We both are so busy that we understand if one another can't be there for everything, but I think just really valuing the time you spend together and being super present in every moment," Dunne told PEOPLE.
In a 2025 interview with PEOPLE, Dunne discussed what else works for them.
"We don't restrict each other from doing things," she said at the time. "I've been in relationships in the past like that — where it's almost like you have a leash on you, you can't do anything."
Recently, Dunne and Skenes were spotted together over the holidays, when she posted a TikTok on Jan. 1, about the baseball player shaving off his mustache. She also joined her boyfriend as he accepted the Cy Young Award at the 101st New York Baseball Writers’ Gala on Jan. 24.
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"We had one of the best nights ever," Dunne told PEOPLE on Feb. 7 about that gala outing. "I think Paul said it was one of the best nights of his life, not just because of the award, but our friends and family that were there, and we all just let loose, had a good time. And I don't know, at the end of the night, I was acting like I won the damn award."
She also said that she hopes to visit Skenes during his spring training and "try to cook for him for a change" while in Florida.
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