# Miss South Dakota

The Miss South Dakota competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of South Dakota in the Miss America pageant.
When Alaska won the Miss America 2022 title, South Dakota is one of the few states along with Maine, West Virginia and Wyoming that has yet to win a Miss America, Miss USA, or Miss Teen USA title.
Joelle Simpson of Rapid City was crowned Miss South Dakota 2024 on June 2nd, 2024 at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

## Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss South Dakota titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

### Placements

* 1st runners-up: Irene O'Connor (1951)
* Top 10: Marlene Rieb (1952), Mary Harum (1971), Barbara Guthmiller (1975)
* Top 15: Alexandra Hoffman (2009)

### Awards
#### Preliminary awards

* Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Marlene Rieb (1952)
* Preliminary Talent: Irene O'Connor (1951), Delores Jerde (1954)

#### Non-finalist awards

* Non-finalist Talent: Delores Jerde (1954), Ann McKay (1969), Karen Janousek (1978), Julie Kleinsasser (1980), Sara Frankenstein (1999)

#### Other awards

* Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Angela Casey (1994), Kimberlee McKay (1996)
* Social Impact Initiative Scholarship Award 2nd runners-up: Amber Hulse (2020)
* Women in Business Scholarship Award Winners: Carrie Wintle (2019)
* Women in STEM Finalists: Hunter Widvey (2023)

## Winners

* Declared as winner
* Ended as a runner-up
* Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
| 2024 | Joelle Simpson | Rapid City | 20 | Miss Rolling Plains | Harp | | | Daughter of Miss South Dakota Teen USA 1986 Valerie Marsden |
| 2023 | Miranda O'Bryan | Martin | 25 | Miss Missouri River | Vocal, “Blank Space” | | | |
| 2022 | Hunter Widvey | Rapid City | 23 | Miss Huron | Vocal, "Feelin' Good" | | Women in STEM Finalist | Previously Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2016 |
| 2021 | Kaitlin O'Neill | Groton | 24 | Miss Dakota Plains | Contemporary Dance, "Bad Guy" by Eklipse | | | |
| 2019–20 | Amber Hulse | Hot Springs | 20 | Miss State Fair | Piano | | Social Impact Initiative Scholarship Award 2nd runner-up | Later Miss South Dakota USA 2023 |
| 2018 | Carrie Wintle | Iroquois | 23 | Miss State Fair | Piano, "The Final Countdown" | | Women in Business Scholarship Award | Previously Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2008 |
| 2017 | Miranda Mack | Redfield | 21 | Miss South Dakota State University | Operatic Vocal, "Habanera" from Carmen | | | |
| 2016 | Julia Olson | Sioux Falls | 23 | Miss Missouri Valley | Vocal | | | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2015 pageant |
| 2015 | Autumn Simunek | Hot Springs | 22 | Miss Oahe | Vocal, "Glitter and Be Gay" | | | Previously Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2007 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 pageant |
| 2014 | Meridith Gould | Sioux Falls | 19 | Miss Lake Alvin | Lyrical Dance, "You Raise Me Up" | | | Previously Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2012 Later Miss Minnesota USA 2017 2nd runner-up at Miss USA 2017 pageant |
| 2013 | Tessa Dee | Mitchell | 22 | Miss Gold Rush | Gymnastics Dance, "Bad" | | | Later Miss South Dakota USA 2017 |
| 2012 | Calista Kirby | Brookings | 23 | Miss Rushmore | Tumbling, "Hot Honey Rag" from Chicago | | | |
| 2011 | Anna Simpson | Rapid City | 21 | Miss Rolling Plains | Piano, Theme from Pirates of the Caribbean | | | |
| 2010 | Loren Vaillancourt | Huron | 20 | Miss Hub City | Gymnastics/Dance, "Cinema Italiano" from Nine | | | |
| 2009 | Morgan Peck | Sioux Falls | 20 | Miss USD | Vocal, "My Simple Christmas Wish" | | | |
| 2008 | Alexandra Hoffman | Eureka | 20 | Miss South Dakota State University | Vocal, "Even Now" | Top 15 | | Sister of Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2008, Elizabeth Hoffman Previously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2006 On Miss America: Countdown to the Crown, received a "Golden Sash" during the third episode, securing a spot in the Top 15 |
| 2007 | Kate Wismer | Britton | 22 | Miss South Dakota State Fair | Classical Vocal, "The Doll Song" from The Tales of Hoffmann | | | |
| 2006 | Callee Bauman | Huron | 21 | Miss South Dakota State University | Vocal, "Journey to the Past" | | | |
| 2005 | Nikki Grandpre | Pierre | 23 | Miss Sioux Empire | Vocal, "Shy" from Once Upon a Mattress | | | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2003 pageant |
| 2004 | Kyra Korver | Mitchell | 23 | Miss Black Hills Gold | Classical Vocal, "Con te partirò" | | | |
| 2003 | Sara Seever | Custer | 21 | Miss Rushmore | Vocal / Dance, "The Music And the Mirror" from A Chorus Line | | | |
| 2002 | Vanessa Short Bull | Rapid City | 23 | Miss State Fair | Ballet en Pointe, "The Dying Swan" | | | Previously Miss South Dakota USA 2000 |
| 2001 | Alecia Zuehlke | Britton | 23 | Miss Great Plains | Piano, "My Tribute" by Andraé Crouch | | | |
| 2000 | Nicole Nigg | Sisseton | 24 | Miss Western Plains | Vocal, "When I Look At You" from The Scarlet Pimpernel | | | |
| 1999 | Trisha Haroldson | Bruce | 22 | Miss Dakota Rose | Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus | | | |
| 1998 | Sara Frankenstein | Tulare | 23 | Miss Heartland | Vocal, "In His Eyes" from Jekyll & Hyde | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 1997 | Shantel Swedlund | Arlington | 24 | Miss State Fair | Alto Saxophone | | | Former chairwoman of the Miss America Organization Board of Directors |
| 1996 | Stephanie Camp | Rapid City | 20 | Miss State Fair | Vocal, "I Am Changing" | | | |
| 1995 | Kimberlee McKay | Belle Fourche | 22 | Miss University of South Dakota | Flute, "Carmen Fantasy" | | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship | |
| 1994 | Kristi Bauer | Brookings | 23 | Miss State Fair | Interpretive Ballet | | | |
| 1993 | Angela Casey | Rapid City | 24 | Miss Rushmore | Popular Vocal | | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship | |
| 1992 | Leslie Saunders | Dakota Dunes | 21 | Miss East River | Classical Vocal, "O Mio Fernando" from La favorite | | | |
| 1991 | Melissa Brown | Rapid City | 22 | Miss Rapid City | Vocal, "Crazy" | | | |
| 1990 | Jennifer Palmquist | Wilmot | 21 | Miss State Fair | Dramatic Monologue | | | |
| 1989 | Dawn Strunk | Irene | 20 | Miss Sioux Empire | Piano | | | |
| 1988 | Kathryn Barnes | Sioux Falls | 22 | Miss Sioux Falls | Vocal, "Miss Celie's Blues" from The Color Purple | | | |
| 1987 | Najla Ghazi | Brookings | 19 | Miss South Dakota State University | Oral Interpretations | | | |
| 1986 | Julie Hedin | Watertown | 21 | Miss South Dakota State University | Flute | | | |
| 1985 | Amy DeHeer | Hot Springs | 21 | Miss State Fair | Vocal, "Who Will Buy?" from Oliver! | | | |
| 1984 | Debra Cleveland | Madison | 19 | Miss State Fair | Classical Piano | | | |
| 1983 | LaRonda Lundin | Revillo | 20 | Miss South Dakota State University | Classical Piano, "Polichinelle" by Sergei Rachmaninoff | | | |
| 1982 | Tara Meyerink | Platte | 19 | Miss Mitchell | Classical Piano, "Beethoven's Sonata No. 6, Opus 10" | | | |
| 1981 | Pennisue Largent | Hot Springs | 22 | Miss Hot Springs | Vocal & Jazz Dance, "Misty" | | | |
| 1980 | Carol Barnett | Sioux Falls | 18 | Miss Sioux Falls | Vocal, "Money Tree" | | | selected as a Miss America USO Troupe member |
| 1979 | Julie Kleinsasser | Freeman | 19 | Miss State Fair | Popular Vocal, "Cry" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 1978 | Jennifer Holt | Mitchell | 20 | Miss Mitchell | Vocal, "Spanish Rose" | | | Founder and lead singer of Tetes Noires band |
| 1977 | Karen Janousek | Rapid City | 22 | Miss Rapid City | Classical Piano, "Prelude in C Minor" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 1976 | Beth Guthmiller | Tripp | 21 | Miss South Dakota State University/Brookings | Vocal, "My Tribute" | | | Younger sister of Miss South Dakota 1974, Barbara Guthmiller |
| 1975 | Gina Campbell | Canton | 21 | Miss University of South Dakota | Vocal, "Listen to a Country Song" | | | |
| 1974 | Barbara Guthmiller | Tripp | 21 | Miss Yankton College | Vocal, "Summertime" | Top 10 | | Older sister of Miss South Dakota 1976, Beth Guthmiller Contestant at National Sweetheart 1972 pageant |
| 1973 | Gwen Resick | Clark | 20 | Miss South Dakota State University | Dramatic Skit, "Aldonza" from Don Quixote | | | |
| 1972 | Janet Hunter | Madison | 20 | Miss Madison | Classical Piano, "Scherzo No. 3" by Chopin | | | |
| 1971 | Susan Inman | Hot Springs | 19 | Miss Hot Springs | Original Dramatic Skit, "Ecology" | | | Previously Miss South Dakota Teenager 1969 and top 8 in Miss American Teenager pageant |
| 1970 | Mary Harum | Sioux Falls | 19 | Miss Sioux Falls | Vocal Medley, "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "Something," & "Yesterday" | Top 10 | | Co-host of Entertainment Tonight |
| 1969 | Nancy Nickelson | Belle Fourche | 20 | Miss Black Hills State College | Folk Singing & Guitar, "If I Had Wings" | | | |
| 1968 | Ann McKay | Vermillion | 21 | Miss Lead-Deadwood | Dramatic Monologue from This Property Is Condemned | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 1967 | Sally Jo Iverson | Brandon | 20 | Miss Sioux Falls | Original Reading, "Tomorrow's Game" | | | |
| 1966 | Deborah Molitor | Vermillion | 19 | Miss University of South Dakota | Popular Vocal & Contemporary Dance | | | |
| 1965 | Nancy Sandwick | Sioux Falls | 19 | Miss Sioux Falls | Vocal Medley, "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" & "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady | | | |
| 1964 | June Ann Delbridge | Sioux Falls | 19 | Miss Sioux Falls | Piano | | | |
| 1963 | Heather Ann Paterson | Watertown | | Miss Yankton College | Ballet, Soft-Shoe, & Charleston Dance | | | |
| 1962 | Charlean Fuhrman | Mansfield | 19 | Miss Northern State Teachers College | Vocal & Dramatic Act | | | |
| 1961 | Rejean Bowar | Faulkton | 21 | Miss South Dakota State College | Piano, Vocal, & Narration of Original Monologue | | | |
| 1960 | Janet Barber | Britton | 18 | Miss Britton | Dramatic Interpretation, "Casual Approach to Violence" | | | |
| 1959 | Meredith Auld | Yankton | 18 | | Vocal | | | Later married news anchor, Tom Brokaw |
| 1958 | Carolee Nelson | Irene | | | Drama | | | |
| 1957 | Patricia Miller | Mobridge | | | Vocal | | | |
| 1956 | Lois Paulson | Mobridge | | | Vocal | | | |
| 1955 | Connie White | Canistota | | | Piano | | | |
| 1954 | Cleo Ann Harrington | Colman | | | Classical Vocal | | | |
| 1953 | Delores Jerde | Spearfish | | | Piano | | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1952 | Sandra Hart | Huron | | | Fire Baton Twirling | | | |
| 1951 | Marlene Rieb | Parkston | | | Baton Twirling | Top 10 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | |
| 1950 | Irene O'Connor | Burbank | | | Dramatic Monologue, "Dedication of the White Armor" from Saint Joan | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1949 | Carol Quinn | Sioux Falls | | | Dramatic Monologue from Pygmalion | | | |
| 1948 | Myrna Clemenson | Conde | | | | | | |
| 1947 | Roselyn Lea Anderson | Saint Onge | | | Piano, "'O Sole Mio" | | | |
| 1935-1946 | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants |
| 1934 | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held |
| 1933 | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageant |
| 1932 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1931 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1930 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1929 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1928 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1927 | Ramona Pearl Sorensen | Lemmon | 18 | | | | | |
| 1926 | Mary Davis | | | | | | | |
| 1925 | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants |
| 1924 | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants |
| 1923 | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants |
| 1922 | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants |
| 1921 | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants | No South Dakota representative at Miss America pageants |