# 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 Noni Diarra of Philadelphia was crowned on June 29, 2024, at Richland Performing Arts Center in Johnstown. She will represent Pennsylvania at Miss USA 2024.

## Gallery of titleholders

* Michele McDonald, Miss Pennsylvania USA 1071 & Miss USA 1971
* Kimmarie Johnson, Miss Pennsylvania USA 1993
* Tanya Lehman, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2006
* Lindsey Nelsen, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2009

## 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 | Local title | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
| 2024 | Noni Diarra | Philadelphia | 23 | Miss Philadelphia | | | |
| 2023 | Jasmine Daniels | Collegeville | 26 | Miss Collegeville | 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 | Miss Upper Providence | | | Daughter of former basketball player Billy Owens |
| 2021 | Sydney Robertson | Williamsport | 23 | Miss Williamsport | | Miss Photogenic | Previously Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA 2014 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2014 |
| 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 | | Previously Miss Florida World 2015 Top 12 at Miss World America 2015 |
| 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 Previously Miss Pennsylvania's Outstanding Teen 2007 2nd runner-up at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 Previously Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA 2010 |
| 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 | | | | Later Miss World Pennsylvania 1992 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 | | Miss Daisytown | | | |
| 1976 | Marcy Zambelli | Newcastle | | | | | |
| 1975 | Pat Hurley | Wilkes-Barre | | | | | |
| 1974 | Dorisann Gatalski | Bethel Park | | | | | |
| 1973 | Jill Unbewust | Benton | | | | | |
| 1972 | Jeanie Zadrozny | Pittsburgh | | Miss Allegheny | | | |
| 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 | Miss Wilkes-Barre | 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

* ↑ Age at the time of the crowning