Survivor Season 44 Cast Includes A (Literal) Rocket Scientist, One Of NYC's Finest Firefighters — VIEW PHOTOS
When Survivor kicks off its 44th season on Wednesday, March 1, the latest crop of castaways will include a bonafide rocket scientist, one of New York's finest firefighters and — this could come in handy — a podiatrist!
Per CBS, the Fiji-set cycle will find the 18 contestants "divided into three tribes of six" and facing "a faster, more dangerous season from the moment they step on the beach."
Season 43 of the reality juggernaut wrapped in December with Mike Gabler defeating Cassidy Clark and Owen Knight by a jury vote of 7-1-0. (TVLine's Nick Caruso ranked all 43 seasons here.)
Ratings-wise, the Jeff Probst-hosted competition series finished the fall season as CBS' No. 1 series, tied with 60 Minutes and Ghosts. It also stands as TV's second most-watched reality series overall, behind NBC's The Voice.
Scroll down to check out the dozen and a half new game players, and then hit the comments with your ridiculously early pick for who will walk away with the $1 million jackpot.
Yamil 'Yam Yam' Arocho
Age: 36
Hometown: Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Current Residence: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Occupation: Salon owner
Matt Blankinship
Age: 27
Hometown: Albany, Calif.
Current Residence: San Francisco, Calif.
Occupation: Security software engineer
Brandon Cottom
Age: 30
Hometown: Newtown, Pa.
Current Residence: Newton, Pa.
Occupation: Security specialist
Kane Fritzler
Age: 25
Hometown: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Current Residence: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Occupation: Law student
Carson Garrett
Age: 20
Hometown: Rome, Ga.
Current Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Occupation: NASA engineering student
Matthew Grinstead-Mayle
Age: 43
Hometown:.Pickerington, Ohio
Current Residence: Columbus, Ohio
Occupation: Barbershop owner
Lauren Harpe
Age: 31
Hometown: Port Arthur, Texas
Current Residence: Mont Belvieu, Texas
Occupation: Elementary school teacher
Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt
Age: 43
Hometown: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Current Residence: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Occupation: Engineering manager
Helen Li
Age: 29
Hometown: Wayland, Mass.
Current Residence: San Francisco, Calif.
Occupation: Product manager
Frannie Marin
Age: 23
Hometown: St. Paul, Minn.
Current Residence: Cambridge, Mass.
Occupation: Research coordinator
Danny Massa
Age: 32
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Current Residence: Bronx, N.Y.
Occupation: N.Y.C. firefighter
Bruce Perreault
Age: 46
Hometown: West Warwick, R.I.
Current Residence: Warwick, R.I.
Occupation: Insurance agent
Maddy Pomilla
Age: 28
Hometown: Huntingtown, Md.
Current Residence: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Occupation: Charity projects manager
Claire Rafson
Age: 25
Hometown: Highland Park, Ill.
Current Residence: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Occupation: Tech investor
Jaime Lynn Ruiz
Age: 35
Hometown: Mesa, Ariz.
Current Residence: Mesa, Ariz.
Occupation: Yogi
Sarah Wade
Age: 27
Hometown: Rochester, Minn.
Current Residence: Chicago, Ill.
Occupation: Management consultant
Carolyn Wiger
Age: 35
Hometown: North St. Paul, Minn.
Current Residence: Hugo, Minn.
Occupation: Drug counselor
Josh Wilder
Age: 34
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Current Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Occupation: Surgical podiatrist