Nebraska’s Jessica “Jess” Gardner is among the college athletes being heralded for her athletic abilities along with her promotional power thanks to social media popularity.
Gardner, a pole vaulter at the University of Nebraska, has even been called “the next Livvy Dunne” by some media outlets.
The college junior recently unveiled a series of posts on her Instagram in which she posed in stunning outfits to celebrate an occasion many opt for in lieu of Valentine’s Day.
In a carousel post, Gardner wore baggy light pink jeans to go with a black crop top tied in the middle, leaving her abs somewhat visible.
Gardner had her long wavy blonde hair flowing past her waistline and wore cute heart antennae atop her head for Valentine’s Day.
However, she revealed via a hashtag that this is also Galentine’s, and each image had her striking a pose with friends.
The third pic showed two instant camera-style snapshots, with Gardner appearing with multiple friends.
“:ove y’all, mean it 💌🏹 #galentines,” she wrote in her caption.
Galentine’s Day is an annual celebration of women’s friendship, often celebrated on February 13, a day before Valentine’s. Based on Gardner’s IG photos, she has plenty of friends to celebrate.
Jess Gardner reveals red hot Valentine’s Day look
In an Instagram post the next day, Gardner changed up her look for Valentine’s Day, as she wore a gorgeous red top to match the romantic occasion.
The backless red top, revealed in her first two images of an IG carousel post, had the appearance of a group of beautiful roses as it lay across her arm.
It’s hard to tell the full extent of Gardner’s outfit due to her final pic being blurry, but she paired the stunning red top with black pants and also appeared to be carrying a pink purse or bag based on a strap over her shoulder.
Gardner delivered a look across her shoulder in her first pic, with her long locks again flowing down her back. Her gaze was on something off-camera in the second photo, which also revealed she was wearing light pink nail polish with a red heart painted onto a thumbnail.
An “XO” with a red rose emoji captured the romantic spirit of the annual celebration of love.
Gardner tagged clothing brand For Love & Lemons in her post and appeared to be wearing their $144 Hannah Crop Top, which they describe as a “wearable bouquet of roses” with a “flirty chiffon style” featuring “puff sleeves and 3D rosettes.”
The item seemed to provide Gardner with the perfect look as she celebrated Valentine’s Day, whether it was on a date or out and about at a gathering.
Jess Gardner revealed her partnership with Scooter’s Coffee
Last month, an Outkick report questioned whether Gardner could be the next Olivia “Livvy” Dunne. For those yet to hear, Dunne is a star gymnast at Louisiana State University making serious bank through partnerships and promotions.
Outkick reasoned that Gardner is just as successful outside of athletics as she is within her sport of choice at school.
Based on their report, the Nebraska Cornhuskers pole vaulter achieved Academic All-Big Ten in 2021 and 2022 and is a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
It’s mentioned that her social media following is nowhere near Dunne’s, as Gardner has just 110,000 on her TikTok compared to Dunne’s staggering 6.9 million. On Instagram, Dunne boasts 3.6 million followers, with Gardner at over 78,000.
While Dunne has partnered with the likes of Forever 21, BodyArmor, and American Eagle, Gardner hasn’t quite showcased those sorts of partners yet. However, she revealed in December 2021 that she’d partnered with Scooter’s Coffee.
“I am so excited to partner with @scooterscoffee! 🖤✨ Their values being love, humility, integrity, and courage exemplify what being a female student athlete means to me,” she said in her caption.
“Scooter’s Coffee is my go-to spot for studying or catching up with friends! Whenever I need a pick me up, I add a shot of espresso to my Iced Chai Tea Latte. 🥰 What’s your Scooter’s Coffee order?” Gardner wrote.
The Scooter’s Coffee brand was officially born when its first drive-thru coffeehouse opened in 1998 in Bellevue, Nebraska. The coffee shop chain was brought to life by co-founders Don and Linda Eckles.
They only roast from the top 10 percent of specialty coffee beans in the world and promise “high-quality drinks, speed of service, and a BIG smile.”
Scooters has multiple locations in Nebraska and a few shops in Iowa and Kansas, making it a smart move for Gardner to promote the regional coffee chain.
Beyond her promotional power via social media, Outkick suggests that Gardner’s more significant achievement could be bringing more attention to Nebraska sports again, something that the Cornhuskers’ football squads have struggled with in recent memory.