Back in 2013, the police found former LSU Tigers running back Justin Vincent’s 2004 National Championship ring in a homicide investigation in Baton Rouge. Add to that a Super Bowl ring, a Peach Bowl ring, as well as a Sugar Bowl ring, and Vincent’s prized possessions added up to an estimated $45,000. Fast forward to more than a decade, and LSU has, once again, become the center of attention in a ring-stealing case. But this time, besides money, there’s more than 30 years worth of history at stake.

Before Jay Clark led LSU to its first NCAA gymnastics title, his mentor, D-D Breaux, built a legacy of competition at the program. However, Olivia Dunne’s program suffered a blow two weeks ago. Per an LSUPD report, “A display box containing approximately 40 rings was missing on November 14.” The report also stated that the box containing the championship rings Louisiana State won during D-D Breaux’s era was seen a week earlier in the former coach’s office.

So far, there has been no new development in the investigation. But what we do know is that each ring was worth around $3,000, adding up to an estimated total of $120,000. However, for coach D-D Breaux – who took over LSU gymnastics coaching duties in 1978 and was at the helm for 43 years – the rings were worth a lot more than their price tag. “They could not have taken anything from that office that had more deep meaning than my ring box,” Breaux said.

“It was all of the rings from SEC and NCAA individual champions. A career of championship memories.” Breaux led the Tigers to 35 NCAA Championship appearances, coaching 13 individual national titles at LSU. Under her, the program also won SEC Championships in 1981, 2017, 2018, and 2019, making her a Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer. That said, the 71-year-old told the authorities that while the perpetrators got their hands on the individual championship rings, she still had the team championship rings.

While the LSUPD and the investigative authorities continue to make inroads on the case, it’s times like these – as the LSU gymnastics program navigates adversity and crisis – when support matters. And the Tigers seem to have that, courtesy of their fans, in plenty. That is if a recent report by BRProud is anything to go by.

The 2025 NCAA gymnastics season isn’t going to start anytime soon, but season tickets are on sale, and sales have been unprecedented for the second year running. The university sold 8,680 season tickets for 2025, which is a jump from last year’s 8,055. “Our fan base continues to show why this is the best place in the country to be a collegiate athlete,” said head coach Jay Clark. “They show up and show out week after week, and we are so grateful for their loyalty. The PMAC is truly a unique environment unlike anything else in college gymnastics, and we are so excited to get back in front of our fans in 2025!”

Louisiana State’s 2025 NCAA season begins on January 3 at Baton Rouge, where they’ll take on Iowa State. The event will mark the return of LSU’s NIL star Olivia Dunne. The 22-year-old initially retired after their historic 2024 national title triumph. However, Livvy Dunne will take to the mat for her fifth and final season in the new year. The meet against Iowa State will also feature the unveiling of the championship banner, making it a must-watch event for Tigers fans.

LSU went undefeated at the PMAC last season on their way to a first national team championship. And this year, they hope to continue that streak when they welcome Iowa State, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Georgia. Per lsusports.net, the Tigers “finished the [2024] season with the highest average attendance in the nation for only the second time in program history.” The PMAC saw an average attendance of 12,590 – the highest average in school history – and a total footfall of over 75,000. If pre-sales for this season are anything to go by, LSU is in for another record-breaking campaign.

That’s what Jay Clark hopes will happen. Entering his fifth year as the head coach, he continues to strive towards creating an environment like no other. “We want to do everything we can to see our attendance continue to grow every year,” he said. Owing to his team title-winning run in 2024, Clark was named the SEC Co-Head Coach of the Year, the Louisiana Head Coach of the Year, as well as the Region One Head Coach of the Year. That said, while he and the program continue to reach new heights, the missing rings incident weighs heavy on everyone at LSU.

This year, Olivia Dunne and her teammates sported special NFL-style rings, which reportedly cost $7,000 before any customizations. And while the missing rings cost around $3,000 each, their true value went far beyond their price. Investigators found that the office door was unlocked when the rings went missing, and they suspected theft. However, the issue remains unresolved as the authorities have not found the perpetrator or the rings. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only hurdle LSU is facing. Their NIL star may be in trouble.

Has a familiar adversary come back to haunt Olivia Dunne?

On November 25, Olivia Dunne made a concerning post on TikTok. The NCAA champion captioned her post, “The devil couldn’t reach me,” informing fans that a shin injury could hamper her return. This would be grim news for the gymnastics icon’s final year of college gymnastics. Shin splints, aka medial tibial stress syndrome, nearly jeopardized her 2024 season.

Olivia Dunne had to sit out most of 2023 after suffering a brutal fall. While she recovered, every time she performed after the injury, her shin splits would flair up. Thankfully, Dunne recovered fully by the time the 2024 season rolled around. Maybe that was part of the reason why ticket sales shot up before last season. And now, after a long break, the fifth-year student has gone back to practicing for the upcoming season.

However, a further flair-up could once again endanger the gymnast’s NCAA dreams. In fact, Olivia Dunne may be one of the reasons why LSU broke their season ticket sales record once again. With the 22-year-old returning for a final season and Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera joining the Tigers, the hype for the defending champions seems to literally be record-breaking. However, if Livvy is out of action, that hype may take a nosedive for the 13 million or so followers who cheer for the gymnast at every step.