Loading
  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Miss Pennsylvania USA

The Miss Pennsylvania USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss USA pageant. It has been previously known as Miss Pennsylvania Universe. This pageant is independently conducted and produced by Proctor Productions based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was produced by Sanders & Associates, Inc., dba- Pageant Associates based in Buckhannon, West Virginia from 2001 to 2020. Since 2020 the pageant based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The annual competition is currently held in Johnstown and has previously been hosted by Harrisburg, Greensburg, Monroeville, and Pittsburgh.

Michele McDonald, Miss USA 1971, is the only woman from Pennsylvania to win the Miss USA title. At just eighteen, she was the youngest competitor ever to win the crown. Their most recent placement came in 2023 when Jasmine Daniels placed 3rd runner-up.

The current titleholder is Jasmine Daniels of Collegeville was crowned on April 16, 2023, at Richland Performing Arts Center in Johnstown. She represented Pennsylvania at Miss USA 2023 and placed 3rd runner-up.

Gallery of titleholders

Results summary

  • Miss USA: Michele McDonald (1971)
  • 3rd runner-up: Jasmine Daniels (2023)
  • 4th runners-up: LauRen Merola (2008)
  • Top 6: Kimmarie Johnson (1993)
  • Top 10/12: Sandy Dell (1978), Julie Page (1983), Denise Epps (1989), Brenda Brabham (2005)
  • Top 15/16/20: Jeri Bauer (1953), Margaret Lineman (1962), Barbara Ann Woronko (1967), Gina Cerilli (2010), Jessica Billings (2013), Valerie Gatto (2014), Kailyn Marie Perez (2019)

Pennsylvania holds a record of 15 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Best State Costume: Julie Page (1983)
  • Best in Swimsuit: Barbara Ann Woronko (1967)
  • Best in Evening Gown: Jasmine Daniels (2023)
  • Miss Photogenic: Sydney Robertson (2021)

Winners

Color key
  •   Winner
  •   Runner-up or Finalist
  •   Semifinalist
Year Name City Age Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes
2024 Noni Diarra Philadelphia 23 TBA
2023 Jasmine Daniels Collegeville 26 3rd runner-up Best in Evening Gown Previously Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA 2015 (Semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA 2015
2022 Billie LaRaé Owens Phoenixville 25 Daughter of former basketball player Billy Owens
2021 Sydney Robertson Williamsport 23 Miss Photogenic
2020 Victoria Piekut Irwin 23
  • Previously International Junior Miss Teen 2015
  • Longest reigning Miss Pennsylvania USA (1 year, 8 months, and 28 days)
2019 Kailyn Marie Perez Camp Hill 27 Top 15
2018 Olivia Ann Suchko Belle Vernon 21
2017 Cassandra Lee Angst Philadelphia 22
2016 Elena Flora LaQuatra Pittsburgh 23 Triple crown winner; deaf since age 4 due to bacterial meningitis
2015 Elizabeth Lee Cardillo Pittsburgh 24
2014 Valerie Gatto Pittsburgh 24 Top 20
2013 Jessica Billings Berwyn 26 Top 15
Title vacant
2012 Sheena Monnin Pittsburgh 26
  • Resigned the title after the Miss USA competition, alleging that the pageant was a fraud.
  • Shortest reigning Miss Pennsylvania USA (6 months and 1 day)
2011 Amber-Joi Watkins Philadelphia 26 Former Sixers Dancer
2010 Gina Domenica Cerilli Greensburg 23 Top 15 Former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader
2009 Lindsey Nelsen Stewartstown 21
2008 LauRen Merola Pittsburgh 23 4th runner-up Former Miami Dolphins Cheerleader
2007 Samantha Johnson Philadelphia 22
2006 Tanya Lehman York 22
2005 Brenda Brabham Philadelphia 24 Top 10
2004 Nicole Georghalli East Stroudsburg 25
2003 Camille Young Philadelphia 23
2002 Nicole Bigham Belle Vernon 25 Previously Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA 1994 top 12 at Miss Teen USA 1994
2001 Jennifer Ann Watkins Monongahela
2000 Angela Patla Sweet Valley 26
1999 Melissa Godshall Philadelphia 25
1998 Kimberly Jaycox Indiana
1997 Cara Bernosky Whitehall
1996 Susan Barnett Levittown Previously Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA 1990, top 12 at Miss Teen USA 1990
1995 Stephanie Fallat Murrysville
1994 Linda Chiaraluna Evans City 23
1993 Kimmarie Johnson Pittsburgh Top 6
1992 Catherine Weber Philadelphia
1991 Adrienne Romano Philadelphia
1990 Elizabeth Cebak Ross 23 4th runner up at Miss World USA 1992
1989 Denise Epps Lansdale 22 Semi-finalist
1988 Susan Gray Lansdale 20
1987 Lisa Rynkiewicz Clarksville
1986 Sherri Fitzpatrick Quakertown 23 1983 & 1984 Professional Cheerleader for the USFL Philadelphia Stars Football Team; 1985 Professional Cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles
1985 Sandra Ferguson Pittsburgh 18 Played Amanda Cory on Another World
1984 Tina Albright Lansford
1983 Julie Page Belle Vernon 18 Semi-finalist Best State Costume
1982 Theresa Rosa North Versailles
1981 Nena Stone Bethel Park 21
1980 Andrea Patrick Connellsville Later Miss West Virginia 1983. Married Fabian in 1998
1979 Maureen Starinsky Monongahela 23
1978 Sandy Dell Latrobe 22 Semi-finalist
1977 Lorraine Lincoski Daisytown
1976 Marcy Zambelli Newcastle
1975 Pat Hurley Wilkes-Barre
1974 Dorisann Gatalski Bethel Park
1973 Jill Unbewust Benton
1972 Jeanie Zadrozny Pittsburgh
1971 Michele McDonald Butler Miss USA 1971 Semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1971 Michele Marlene McDonald-Boeke died in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania on January 23, 2020, at age 67 from complications stemming from a 2018 double-lung transplant surgery.
1970 Carol Cerully Altoona
1969 Marlene Vaughn Philadelphia 21
1968 Barbara Verlander White Oak 20
1967 Barbara Ann Woronko Edwardsville 17 Semifinalist Swimsuit Winner Former Radio City Rockette.
1966 Susan Joanne Fennell Philadelphia
1965 Beverly Rudolph Philadelphia
1964 Maryann Reilly Philadelphia
1963 Deborah Cardonick Philadelphia
1962 Margaret Lineman Philadelphia Semi-finalist
1961 Gayle Nelson Philadelphia
1960 Betsy Reeves Philadelphia
1959 Rhoda Mae Kachilo Philadelphia
1958 Natalie Dee Philadelphia
1957 Rosalie Culp Philadelphia
1956 Serena Kifer Philadelphia
1955 Marianne Marcus Philadelphia
1954 Helen Vidovich Philadelphia
1953 Jeri Hauer Hatboro Semi-finalist
1952 Miriam Smith Philadelphia
Notes
  1. ^ Age at the time of the crowning