DeLAND, Fla. – Former Stetson baseball player Jackson Olson is trading the diamond for the dance floor this fall, as the Savannah Bananas standout and social media personality has been selected to compete on Season 35 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
Olson will be partnered with professional dancer Emma Slater for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to premiere with a two-night event on Sept. 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Episodes will also be available to stream on Hulu.
The New Milford, Connecticut, native spent the 2021 season with the Hatters after transferring from the University of Hartford. Olson appeared in 22 games with 20 starts during his lone season in DeLand, recording 10 hits, five RBI, five runs scored and a home run while seeing time across the Stetson infield.
Prior to arriving at Stetson, Olson played four seasons at Hartford, where he posted a .288 career batting average across 161 games. He earned America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors and was a three-time Academic All-Conference selection before completing his collegiate career with the Hatters.
Following college, Olson's career took a different path.
After building a large social media following through baseball and entertainment content, Olson joined the Savannah Bananas and has since become one of the organization's most recognizable personalities. His combination of baseball, dancing and on-field entertainment has helped make him a prominent figure within Banana Ball and across social media.
That background will now take Olson to one of television's biggest stages. He joins a Season 35 cast featuring athletes, actors, musicians, television personalities and other entertainers competing for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Olson said the opportunity brings a different kind of pressure than performing in front of a baseball crowd, noting that being scored by the show's judges will be a new experience. He has also said his Savannah Bananas teammates are excited about the opportunity and that fans can expect some of the team's signature entertainment style to find its way into the ballroom.
Olson's appearance continues a unique post-Stetson journey that began with college baseball and has since expanded into social media, entertainment and professional baseball with the Savannah Bananas.
Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars will be hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, with Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough returning as judges.
For the latest information on Stetson Baseball, visit GoHatters.com and follow @StetsonBaseball on social media.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters
