Dancing with the StarsĀ Reveals Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson Will Join Season 35
The baseball standout will be joining ‘Summer House’ star Ciara Miller and ‘The Traitors’ runner-up Maura Higgins on the next iteration of the ABC hit
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NEED TO KNOW
- Jackson Olson is joiningĀ Dancing with the Stars
- The Savannah Bananas standout and influencer is the latest celebrity to be announced for the show’s forthcoming 35th season
- He joinsĀ Summer HouseĀ star Ciara Miller andĀ The TraitorsĀ runner-up Maura Higgins
Jackson OlsonĀ is bringing his moves from the dugout to the dance floor.
The Savannah Bananas second baseman and influencer, 28, is joining season 35 ofĀ Dancing with the Stars, ABC announced during Disney’s Upfront presentation on Tuesday, May 12.
Olson, a fixture on the independent Georgia-based baseball team, is the third celebrity contestant announced ahead of the competition’s latest season in the fall.
Disney previously revealed on April 22 thatĀ Summer HouseĀ starĀ Ciara MillerĀ andĀ The TraitorsĀ runner-upĀ Maura HigginsĀ will also beĀ taking their talents to the ballroom. The full cast of celebrities and pros will be announced on Sept. 2, onĀ Good Morning America.
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Olson’s journey with the Bananas began in 2022, years after the athlete declined an offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks in order to complete his college degree. When theĀ MLB’s draft was shortenedĀ in the wake of the pandemic, heĀ transferredĀ from the University of Hartford to Stetson University.
In the years to follow, Olson became a social-media sensation, captured the attention of Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole and eventually earned a spot on the team. Olson now boasts over 2 million followers onĀ TikTok, where he takes part in skits, dance trends and promotes his team.
āI thought I was done with baseball after my career at Stetson University,ā Olsen told PEOPLE in 2023. āMentally, I kind of fell out of love with the game. And the Bananas brought that back.ā
TheĀ Savannah Bananas, founded in 2016 by Jesse and wife Emily Cole, mix standard baseball with additional entertainment ā incorporating choreographed dance moves, sing-alongs and even a player taking the field in stilts.
“I look at our players and look at what we built, at the joy,” Jesse previously told PEOPLE. “And then kids, grandparents, people of all ages come up to thank me and every night those moments happen and I think, āWow, it’s so much bigger than baseball.’ And we’re just getting started.”
As for Olson’sĀ DWTSĀ competition, Miller, 30, previouslyĀ filled PEOPLE inĀ on how she intends to prepare for the show, revealing that she’s “looking forward to having that dance schedule.” She added that she’s also going to attend āmore yoga classes, more Pilates classes.ā
āI might start running again because I need to get my stamina up and have some type of endurance,ā she said. āI’m gonna get in the gym.ā
Fans of the series can also look forward toĀ Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, which will feature Robert Irwin as host and premieres on ABC July 13. The series will follow “12 exceptional up-and-coming dancers who move into one house and compete in a grueling audition process, all vying for a coveted spot as a pro dancer” on season 35, per a synopsis.
DWTSĀ season 35 will premiere in the fall on ABC and Disney+. Episodes will stream next day on Hulu.