Miss Nevada USA

Miss Nevada USA
Formation1952; 72 years ago (1952)
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersLas Vegas
Location
MembershipMiss USA
Official language
English
Exec. Director
Shanna Moakler
WebsiteOfficial website

The Miss Nevada USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss USA pageant.

While Nevada did well in the early years of the Miss USA pageant, they only placed once from 1987 to 2000. This streak was broken by Gina Giacinto's finalist placing in Miss USA 2001. Many Miss Nevada USA titleholders previously competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss America pageants. Seven titleholders previously held the Miss Teen USA state titles six of which having won Miss Nevada Teen USA and the other was Miss Washington Teen USA, three held the Miss Nevada Crown in the Miss America Pageant.

Nia Sanchez of Las Vegas became the first Miss USA ever from the state of Nevada when she was crowned Miss USA 2014, she later placed first runner-up in Miss Universe 2014 to Paulina Vega of Colombia.

Najah Ali of Las Vegas was crowned Miss Nevada USA 2024 on June 30, 2024, at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. She will represent Nevada at Miss USA 2024.

Results summary

Placements

  • Miss USA: Nia Sanchez (2014)
  • 1st runners-up: Mary O'Neal Contino (1977)
  • 2nd runners-up: Joan Adams (1957), Karen Weller (1961), Kathy Landry (1968), Sheri Schruhl (1970), Carolina Urrea (2018)
  • 3rd runners-up: Jade Kelsall (2012), Brittany McGowan (2015)
  • 4th runners-up: Janet Hadland (1962), Helen Salas (2007)
  • Top 5: Gia Giacinto (2001), Tianna Tuamoheloa (2019)
  • Top 10/11/12: Linda Dryden (1974), Christa Lane Daniel (1983), Tammy Perkins (1987), Chelsea Caswell (2013)
  • Top 15/16/19/20: Earlene Whitt (1953), Joy Blaine (1959), Kathee Francis (1963), Denyse Turner (1965), Jacqueline Moore (1967), Karen Essklinger (1969), Lauren Scyphers (2006), Victoria Olona (2020), Josie Stephens (2023), Najah Ali (2024)

Nevada holds a record of 27 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Miss Congeniality: Alesia Prentiss (1992)
  • Best State Costume: Lagracella Omran (1988)

Winners

Color key
  •   Declared as winner of Miss USA
  •   Ended as runner-up for Miss USA
  •   Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists for Miss USA
Year Name[1] Hometown Age1 Local title Placement Special awards Notes
2024 Najah Ali Las Vegas 23 Miss Silver State Top 20
2023 Josie Stephens Fallon 27 Miss Sun Valley Top 20
2022 Summer Keffeler Paradise 21 Miss Paradise
2021 Kataluna Enriquez Las Vegas 27 Miss Silver State
2020 Victoria Olona Henderson 27 Miss Paradise Top 16
2019 Tianna Tuamoheloa[citation needed] North Las Vegas 25 Miss Silver State Top 5
2018 Carolina Urrea Sunrise Manor 23 Miss Paradise 2nd runner-up
2017 Lauren York Primm 22 Miss North Las Vegas
2016 Emelina Adams Anthem 23 Miss Henderson
2015 Brittany McGowan Spring Valley 24 Miss Chateau 3rd runner-up
2014 Nia Sanchez[2] Southern Highlands 23 Miss South Las Vegas Miss USA 2014
2013 Chelsea Caswell[3] Summerlin 23 Miss West Las Vegas Top 10
2012 Jade Kelsall[4] Las Vegas 26 Miss Whitney Ranch 3rd runner-up
2011 Sarah Chapman[5] Henderson 27 Miss Henderson Sister of Miss California USA 2004 Ellen Chapman
2010 Julianna Erdesz Reno 25 Miss Reno
2009 Georgina Vaughan[6] Las Vegas 20 Miss Castle Rock
2008 Veronica Grabowski Henderson 23
2007 Helen Salas Las Vegas 21 4th runner-up
  • Originally first runner-up, assumed the title after Katie Rees was stripped of her crown
  • Previously Miss Nevada Teen USA 2004
    • 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2004
Katie Rees Las Vegas 22 did not compete Stripped of the title on December 21, 2006, due to inappropriate photographs.[7][8]
2006 Lauren Scyphers[9] Gardnerville 20 Top 15
2005 Shivonn Geeb[10] Las Vegas 25 Originally first runner-up, assumed the title after Sloan Bailey's resignation
Sloan Bailey Las Vegas did not compete Resigned in January 2005 for personal reasons.[10]
2004 Victoria Franklin Las Vegas 20
2003 Ashley Huff Henderson 22
2002 Jenny Valdez[11] Las Vegas Contestant at National Sweetheart 2000 & 2001
2001 Gina Giacinto Las Vegas 26 Top 5
2000 Alicia Carnes[12] Las Vegas
1999 Shaynee Smith[13] Las Vegas 23
1998 Tammie Rankin Las Vegas
1997 Ninya Perna[14] Green Valley 23
1996 Alisa Castillo Las Vegas
1995 Brook Hammon Las Vegas
1994 Angela Lambert Las Vegas
1993 Alexis Oliver Las Vegas
1992 Alesia Prentiss Las Vegas Miss Congeniality
1991 Jodi Jensen Las Vegas
1990 Michele Yegge Las Vegas
1989 Janu Tornell Las Vegas Contestant on Survivor: Palau[15]
1988 Lagracella Omran Las Vegas 20 Best State Costume[16]
1987 Tammy Perkins Las Vegas 21 Semi-finalist, Finishing in 8th Place
1986 LeAnna Grant Las Vegas
1985 Alicia Berger[17] Las Vegas Host of Access Hollywood,[18] judge of Miss USA 2009 pageant[19]
1984 Donna Lee McNeil Las Vegas
1983 Christa Lane Daniel Las Vegas Semi-finalist, Finishing in 7th Place
1982 Andrea Pennington Las Vegas
1981 Mary Lebsock Las Vegas
1980 Kimberlee Guider Las Vegas
1979 Aleasha Magleby Las Vegas
1978 Dawn Jameson Las Vegas
1977 Mary O'Neal Contino Las Vegas 1st runner-up Played lead role in Australian television series Chuck Finn[20]
1976 Janice Carrell Las Vegas
1975 Madonna Allison Las Vegas
1974 Linda Dryden Las Vegas Semi-finalist
1973 Laura Fritz Las Vegas
1972 Tracey Lynn Whitney Las Vegas
1971 Anita Laurie Las Vegas
1970 Sheri Schruhl Las Vegas 2nd runner-up
1969 Karen Esslinger Las Vegas Semi-finalist
1968 Kathy Landry Las Vegas 2nd runner-up
1967 Jacqueline Moore Las Vegas Semi-finalist
1966 Mary Martin Las Vegas
1965 Denyse Turner Las Vegas Semi-finalist
Bunny Baxter Las Vegas Resigned
1964 Pamela Diane Morris Las Vegas
1963 Kathee Francis Las Vegas Semi-finalist
1962 Janet Hadland Las Vegas 4th runner-up
1961 Karen Weller Las Vegas 2nd runner-up
1960 Did Not Compete
1959 Joy Blaine Las Vegas Semi-finalist
1958 Terry Jeffers[21] Las Vegas
1957 Joan Adams Las Vegas 2nd runner-up She finished as 3rd runner-up, but succeeded to 2nd runner-up when the 2nd runner-up took the place of the 1st runner-up
1956 Marley Sanderson Las Vegas
1955 Did Not Compete
1954 Mary Jane Arnold Las Vegas
1953 Earlene Whitt Las Vegas Semi-finalist
1952 Barbara Jean Clark Las Vegas

1 Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant

See also

References

  1. ^ "Former Titleholders". Miss Nevada USA. The Atwell Group. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2016. This site contains a listing of titleholders through 2010.
  2. ^ Plaisance, Stacey (June 8, 2014). "Miss Nevada Nia Sanchez wins Miss USA; she is Silver State's first winner". Las Vegas Sun. Associated Press. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  3. ^ Leach, Robin (January 29, 2013). "2013 Miss Nevada USA Chelsea Caswell wins pre-23rd birthday". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  4. ^ Przybys, John (May 31, 2012). "Chance meeting leads Jade Kelsall to Miss Nevada USA crown". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  5. ^ Katsilometes, John (June 16, 2011). "Miss Nevada USA Sarah Chapman: Preschool exec, model, beauty queen — and children's book author". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  6. ^ Cox, Diana (December 10, 2008). "Valley residents crowned in pageant". Las Vegas Sun.
  7. ^ Sedensky, Matt (December 23, 2006). "Ex-Miss Nevada USA Apologizes for Photos". Fox News.
  8. ^ Associated Press (December 30, 2006). "Miss Nevada USA won't get her tiara back". East Valley Tribune.[dead link]
  9. ^ Rafferty, Jo (February 26, 2006). "Douglas High graduate represents state in Miss USA competition". The Record-Courier.
  10. ^ a b Frigard, Monique (March 28, 2005). "NEWSMAKERS: Las Vegan prepares for her run in Miss USA Pageant.(living)". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  11. ^ Di Dio, Deana (November 19, 2001). "NEWSMAKERS: Pageant winner keeps busy schedule while reaching goals". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  12. ^ Whitely, Joan (January 30, 2000). "Former magician's assistant hopes to pull a win out of the hat as Miss USA". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  13. ^ Kern, Kirk (January 30, 1999). "Pageant winner in finals". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  14. ^ Willert, Tim (October 16, 1996). "Perna's plans for pageant lofty". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  15. ^ "Reality check". Newsday. April 25, 2005. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
  16. ^ "Work Clothes Win". The Victoria Advocate. February 23, 1988.
  17. ^ "1992 Miss Nevada Teen USA Executive Directors". Miss Nevada USA pageant. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
  18. ^ "Alicia Jacobs". My News Three. Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
  19. ^ "Miss USA judge yanks essay due to threats". UPI. April 29, 2009.
  20. ^ Clarke, Norm (July 17, 2000). "Ex-Miss Nevada USA a hit down under".
  21. ^ Koch, Ed (December 3, 2013). "Philanthropist had long love affair with Nevada history, dance troupe Rhythmettes". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 29, 2015.