College couples are a kind of sensation that is found in all universities around the world. In LSU, there surely are many of them, but the most iconic one is the pair that includes Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes. Both of them have been stacking up accolades over their relationship, and the way they have supported each other despite their parallel sports careers is something that has set a standard for many couples out there.

The two still represent the college out there with their performances in their respective sports and have gained a ton of popularity on multiple social media platforms. However, as time passes by, there have been many new couples, and a certain one has emerged to compete with Dunne and Skenes, but both of the couples’ accolades stand in quite contrast, giving an upper hand to one above the other.

Yet to become a power couple

So what does the term power couple really stand for? Those who have been in a relationship, bringing in various accolades in their respective careers, and still maintaining a healthy relationship by emotional understanding are those who set a bar in life’s goals out there. Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes have served as such big examples since they got together, which was confirmed official to the public back in August 2023. Surely, they have been the most looked-forward-to LSU sweethearts, but Flau’jae Johnson and Chris Hilton Jr. have passed a certain challenge to them. But what’s this challenge all about? The social media fame, obviously! Dunne and Skenes have been the go-to couple to look forward to, but they are reaching their final moments in college, so LSU needed a new one. Recently, Johnson, the basketball star and a rapper, and Hilton Jr., the football prospect, have made their relationship public, driving fans into a frenzy.

The two did drop a ton of hints earlier this month, especially the one with a light-up sign that read “Be My GF” alongside rose petals, red balloons, giant love hearts, and candles. Furthermore, Hilton Jr. was seen multiple times getting featured in the social media posts of the daughter of rapper Camoflauge, and fans were finally able to connect the dots. However, what’s the main thing that differentiates between the two couples?

First of all, Johnson and Hilton Jr. are new to the LSU Sweethearts Club. But for Dunne and Skenes, it has been some time they have been together. However, majorly their career accolades speak for themselves. The new couple has a ton of achievements to achieve in their careers, but the gymnast and the MLB star have already secured their careers with their prolific performances on national stages. Dunne secured her NCAA title this year, and throughout her five-year college stay has achieved accolades like the 2024 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2023 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2022 SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2021 WCGA All-American (UB), 2021 WCGA Academic All-American, and 2021 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Apart from gymnastics, Dunne also has a ton of followers on various social media platforms, giving her not only the required fame but also getting her sponsorships from big brands. Her boyfriend, Skenes, also won a national championship with LSU in 2023 after transferring in from the Air Force, making him one of the top drafts in the MLB. Johnson also has accolades like being the 2023 NCAA champion, the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, and a member of the 2023 SEC All-Freshman Team. However, both she and Hilton Jr. are in their junior careers and have yet to achieve a lot like Dunne and Skenes by staying together in a relationship. Even if the two are the new ones, they are far away from becoming a power couple, like the gymnast and the MLB star.

Both Dunne and Skenes have managed well in their relationship while pursuing their respective sports careers. And after achieving the Rookie of the Year award, the baseball star of the Pittsburgh Pirates opened up about his mindset while aiming for goals in his MLB career while staying away from several distractions.

Juggling between his relationship with Olivia Dunne and MLB ambitions

Any sports career is nothing without goals, and Paul Skenes also has his own. However, his MLB career hasn’t made him distracted from the fact that he is in a relationship with one of the top LSU gymnasts, Olivia Dunne. Until now, he’s been doing good with his relationship and also his career, as after winning the ROTY award, he talked about his mindset, stating, “That’s how I’ve always been. Everything stems from the game and circles back to playing the game. That’s the only thing that matters. Because if you don’t execute and you don’t compete, then all that other stuff goes away. I appreciate them, but the awards are not why I play the game.”

He replied with this statement when he was questioned about his “level-headed” nature. Also, Skenes has not only maintained his mentality in his sports career; he has indulged it in his day-to-day life too. The 22-year-old has been a very down-to-earth person, so, when it comes to celebrating achievements, he tends to focus more on carrying the legacy that he is trying to build. He has already built a strong version of himself in the MLB with his skills, but he believes that there’s more that he can achieve in the scene.