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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Rashontae Wawrzyniak

The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant. It is currently directed by Proctor Productions.

Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist was the first African-American to win the title. Following in her footsteps, Kenya Moore, also African-American, won the title in 1993. In 2010, Michigan's Rima Fakih became the first Arab-American to win the title. The most recent placement was Alma Cooper in 2024, who won the title.

Until 2012, no Michigan delegate had been previously competed at either Miss Michigan or Miss Michigan Teen USA to appear a crossover with Miss USA. Kristen Danyal became the first Michigan delegate to have a Teen to Miss crossover in Miss USA.

Alma Cooper of Okemos was crowned Miss Michigan USA 2024 on March 21, 2024 at McMorran Entertainment Center in Port Huron, Michigan. She represented Michigan at Miss USA 2024, and eventually won the title. She represented the country at Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico but was unplaced.

Results summary

Placements in Miss USA

  • Miss USAs: Carole Gist (1990), Kenya Moore (1993), Rima Fakih (2010), Alma Cooper (2024)
  • 1st runner-up: Kevin Gale (1976)
  • 3rd runner-up: Elisa Schleef (2003)
  • Top 6: Natasha Bell (1996)
  • Top 10/11/12: Judy Hatula (1952), Pat Glannon (1971), Marilyn Ann Petty (1972), Diane Arabia (1982), Kimberly Mexicotte (1983), Johnelle Ryan (1998), Shannon Grace Clark (1999), Jill Dobson (2000), Kenya Howard (2001), Rashontae Wawrzyniak (2015)
  • Top 15/16: Barbara Sias (1956), Judith Richards (1960), Patricia Lyn Squires (1961), Pamela Lee Sands (1963), Susan Pill (1965), Virginia Clift (1968), Crystal Hayes (2005), Kelly Best (2007), Kristen Danyal (2012), Elizabeth Johnson (2018)

Michigan holds a record of 26 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

Winners

Color key
  •   Declared as Winner
  •   Ended as runner-up
  •   Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
Year Name Hometown Age Local title Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes
2024 Alma Cooper Okemos 22 Miss Okemos Miss USA 2024
2023 Alexis Fagan-Williams Detroit 22 Miss Motown
2022 Aria Hutchinson Plymouth 23 Miss Plymouth
2021 Taylor Hale Detroit 26 Miss Spirit of Detroit Miss Congeniality
  • Shortest reigning Miss Michigan USA (9 months and 21 days)
  • Winner of Big Brother 24 and America's Favorite Houseguest.
2020 Chanel Johnson Southfield 25 Miss Southfield
  • Longest reigning Miss Michigan USA (1 year, 10 months, and 17 days)
  • Second longest reigning Miss USA state titleholder in the organization's history
2019 Alyse Madej Garden City 25 Miss Garden City
2018 Elizabeth Johnson Plymouth 25 Miss Wayne County Top 15
2017 Krista Ferguson Detroit 23 Miss North Shore Bay
2016 Susie Leica Livonia 25 Miss Livonia
2015 Rashontae Wawrzyniak Detroit 24 Miss St. Clair Lake Top 11
2014 Elizabeth Ivezaj Macomb 24 Miss Macomb Born in Albania
2013 Jaclyn Schultz Wyandotte 24 Miss Wyandotte Runner-up on Survivor: San Juan del Sur
2012 Kristen Danyal Sterling Heights 21 Miss Blue Water Top 16
2011 Channing Pierce Royal Oak 23 Miss Royal Oak
2010 Rima Fakih Dearborn 24 Miss Wayne County Miss USA 2010
2009 Lindsey Tycholiz Sterling Heights 26 Miss Great Lakes
2008 Elisabeth Crawford Canton 25 Miss East Michigan
2007 Kelly Best Troy 20 Miss Troy Top 15
2006 Danelle Gay Lapeer 24 Miss Lapeer
2005 Crystal Hayes Rock 20 Miss Northville Top 15
2004 Stacey Lee Rochester Hills 26 Miss Oakland County
2003 Elisa Schleef St. Joseph 23 Miss Great Lakes 3rd runner-up
2002 Rebekah Lynn Decker Ferndale 24
2001 Kenya Howard Detroit 24 Top 10
2000 Jill Dobson Quincy 22 Top 10 Michigan's Junior Miss 1995
1999 Shannon Grace Clark Troy 26 Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss World America 1993
1998 Johnelle Ryan Cassopolis 25 Top 10
1997 Jennifer Reed Taylor 25
  • Later Mrs. Michigan America 2001
1996 Natasha Bell Berrien Springs 20 Top 6 finalist
1995 Keisha Eichelberger Detroit
1994 Kelly Richelle Pawlowski Allen Park
1993 Kenya Summer Moore Detroit 22 Miss USA 1993 Top 6 at Miss Universe 1993
1992 Lainie Lu Howard St. Joseph
1991 Leann Rothi 18
1990 Carole Gist Detroit 20 Miss USA 1990
1989 Karen Finucan Birmingham
1988 Anthonia Dotson Detroit
1987 Elizabeth Puleo Grosse Pointe
1986 Lisa Bernardi Carleton
1985 Nancy Mazuro Washington
1984 Adriana Krambeck Dearborn Heights
1983 Kimberly Mexicotte Livonia Semi-finalist
1982 Diane Marie Arabia Warren Semi-finalist
1981 Karen Eidson Hazel Park
1980 Teena Hammonds Detroit
1979 Susan James Hazel Park
1978 April Patrick Detroit
1977 Jenny Pinks Trenton
1976 Kevin Gale Dearborn Heights 1st runner-up
1975 Debra Holland Detroit
1974 Patricia Loftis Detroit
1973 Linda East Warren
1972 Marilyn Ann Petty Roseville Semi-finalist Represented Michigan in Miss World USA 1974, 2nd runner-up
1971 Pat Glannan Detroit Semi-finalist
1970 Duane Marie Bergen Detroit 19
1969 Lisa Brenner Reed City
1968 Virginia Clift Delhi Top 15
1967 Sonja Dunson Detroit
1966 Kathlene Blascak Allen Park
1965 Susan Lynne Pill Top 15 represented Michigan in the Miss USA World 1964, 3rd runner up
1964 Johneane Teeter Represented Michigan in the Miss USA World 1966
1963 Pamela Lee Sands Top 15
1962 Judith Lamparter
1961 Patricia Squires Top 15
1960 Judith Richards Top 15
1959 Susan Westergaard
1958 Shirley Ann Black Flint 19
1957 Sharon Moore
1956 Barbara Sias Top 15
1955 Martha Smith
1954 Gerri Hoffman
1953 Jo Ann Page
1952 Judy Hatula Top 10

Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant

References

  1. ^ "Tycholiz wins Miss Michigan USA at McMorran". The Times Herald. 2008-09-20.
  2. ^ "Places first". The Owosso Argus-Press. 1970-04-05.