# Miss New York USA

The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the State of New York in the Miss USA pageant. It is directed by D&D Productions.
The current titleholder is Marizza Delgado of New York City who was crowned on June 30, 2024, at the Hilton Albany in Albany. She will represent New York at Miss USA 2024.

## Background

New York is one of the most successful states at Miss USA, and is ranked third in terms of number and value of placement across all years of competition. New York's strongest run was an unbroken string of placements from 1957 to 1966. New York also had a streak of 3 consecutive 1st runner-up placements from 1972 to 1974. In 1954, Karin Huitman was 2nd runner-up. She later moved up to be 1st runner-up, as the original 1st runner-up, Miss Virginia USA was dethroned due to underage (she was 16). As there was no rule in 1954 that if Miss USA won Miss Universe, first runner-up became Miss USA, Karin was only 1st runner-up. Huitman went on to become Miss World USA 1954 and 1st runner-up at Miss World 1954.
New York has the third (equal) highest number of Miss USA victories. They also have the third highest number of semi-finalist (or better) placings (33).
Seven Miss New York USAs have competed at Miss Teen USA, including one who went on to win the Miss USA crown: Kimberly Pressler and the other inherited the Miss USA title: Shanna Moakler. Of these, only five held the title Miss New York Teen USA; one represented Rhode Island (Moakler) and one New Hampshire (Maureen Murray). Only one Miss New York USA has competed at Miss America.

## Gallery of titleholders

* Jackie Loughery, Miss New York USA 1952, and Miss USA 1952
* Mary Therese Friel, Miss New York USA 1979, and Miss USA 1979
* Jennifer Gareis, Miss New York USA 1994
* Shanna Moakler, Miss New York USA 1995. She later assumed the Miss USA 1995 title after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe 1995
* Miss New York USA 2004 Jaclyn Nesheiwat (left) visited U.S. troops in Iraq in March 2004. While in Baghdad, she met her sister, Army Capt. Julie Nesheiwat (right)
* Thatiana Diaz, Miss New York USA 2015

## Results summary
### Placements in Miss USA

* Miss USAs: Jackie Loughery (1952), Mary Therese Friel (1979), Kimberly Pressler (1999)
* 1st runner-up: Karin Hultman (1954), Mary Rodite (1960), Alberta Phillips (1972), Susan Carlson (1973), Barbara Cooper (1974), Shanna Moakler (1995)
* 2nd runner-up: Renee Roy (1954)
* 3rd runner-up: Alexa Currey (1961)
* 4th runner-up: Arlene Nesbitt (1959)
* Top 6: Jennifer Gareis (1994)
* Top 10/11/12: Janet Kadlecik (1955), Patricia O'Kane (1955), Virginia Fox (1958), Jeanne Marie Quinn (1963), Debra Sue Maurice (1980), Jennifer Mikelinich (1983), Maureen Murray (1991), Wendy Mock (1993), Carrie Tucker (2000), Karla Cavalli (2002), Meaghan Jarensky (2005), Hannah Lopa (2017), Andreia Gibau (2020)
* Top 15/16/20: Reta Knapp (1953), Sanita Pelkey (1957), Sherralyn Patecell (1962), Dorothy Langhans (1964), Gloria Jon (1965), Nancy Self (1966), June West (1968), Rosemary Hradek (1969), Christina Tefft (1970), Amber Collins (2011), Thatiana Diaz (2015), Marizza Delgado (2024)
New York holds a record of 38 placements at Miss USA.

#### Awards

* Miss Photogenic: Barbara Cooper (1974)
* Best State Costume: Nancy Self (1966)

## Winners
### Color key

* Declared as Winner
* Ended as runner-up or finalist
* Ended as one of the semifinalists
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local title | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
| 2024 | Marizza Delgado | New York City | 24 | Miss Brooklyn Bridge | Top 20 | | Previously Miss Earth New York 2022 (Top 20 at Miss Earth USA 2022) |
| 2023 | Rachelle Di Stasio | New York City | 26 | Miss Empire State | | | |
| 2022 | Heather Nunez | New York City | 26 | Miss Sugar Hill | | | |
| 2021 | Briana Siaca | Brentwood | 27 | Miss Brentwood | | | |
| 2020 | Andreia Gibau | Manhattan | 24 | Miss Soho | Top 10 | | Born in Cape Verde Previously Miss Teen Earth United States 2016 Previously Miss Earth United States 2017 Top 16 at Miss Earth 2017 Longest-reigning Miss New York USA at 1 year, 7 months and 1 day |
| 2019 | Florinda Kajtazi | Yonkers | 27 | | | | |
| 2018 | Génesis Suero | Brooklyn | 25 | | | | Born in the Dominican Republic Later competed at Miss Dominican Republic 2019 representing Barahona, finished in top 15 |
| 2017 | Hannah Lopa | Spencerport | 24 | | Top 10 | | Currently a MotoAmerica sports reporter at beIN Sports |
| 2016 | Serena Bucaj | Suffern | 22 | | | | |
| 2015 | Thatiana Diaz | Queens | 22 | | Top 15 | | Competed at Miss Dominican Republic 2014, placing in the top 10 Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2010 Top 15 at Miss Teen USA 2010 |
| 2014 | Candace Kuykendall | Rochester | 24 | | | | Competed in the pageant as Candace Kendall Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2006 |
| 2013 | Joanne Nosuchinsky | Hell's Kitchen | 24 | Miss Hell's Kitchen | | | Currently works as an actor based in New York; permanent panelist on Fox News Channel's Red Eye and panelist on The Greg Gutfeld Show. |
| 2012 | Johanna Sambucini | Brooklyn | 24 | Miss City of Dreams | | | Born in Dominican Republic Previously Miss Comunidad Dominicana En EEUU World 2011 |
| 2011 | Amber Collins | Manhattan | 26 | | Top 16 | | |
| 2010 | Davina Reeves | New York City | 26 | | | | |
| 2009 | Tracey Chang | New York City | 25 | | | | Born in China |
| 2008 | Danielle Roundtree | New York City | 18 | | | | Also a contestant on season 8 of American Idol, cut in the Hollywood rounds |
| 2007 | Gloria Almonte | Bronx | 23 | | | | Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2001 1st runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2001 Semifinalist at Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2009 |
| 2006 | Adriana Diaz | Bronx | 21 | | | | Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2003 Currently works in CBS News |
| 2005 | Meaghan Jarensky | Bronx | 26 | | Top 10 (8th) | | Later Mrs. New York America 2010 under her married name, Meaghan Castaldi. Was contestant on Fear Factor in 2005 on the Miss USA episode #5.29 (3rd place) |
| 2004 | Jaclyn Nesheiwat | New York City | 23 | | | | Later Mrs. Florida America 2008 and first runner-up to Mrs. America 2008 under her married name, Jaclyn Stapp |
| 2003 | Nadia Behette | Bay Ridge | 25 | | | | |
| 2002 | Karla Cavalli | Mineola | 25 | | Top 12 (12th) | | |
| 2001 | Lisa Pavlakis | Islip | 22 | | | | |
| 2000 | Carrie Tucker | Nesconset | 25 | | Top 10 (8th) | | |
| 1999 | Melissa Huggins | | | | did not compete | did not compete | Successor to crown |
| 1999 | Kimberly Pressler | Franklinville | 21 | | Miss USA 1999 | | Previously Miss New York Teen USA 1994 Non-finalist at Miss Universe 1999 |
| 1998 | Susan Wisdom | Smithtown | | | | | |
| 1997 | Ramona Rueter | Rochester | 26 | | | | |
| 1996 | Keelin Curnuck | Levittown | 23 | | | | |
| 1995 | Shanna Moakler | New York City | 19 | | 1st runner-up | | Became Miss USA 1995 after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe 1995 Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1992 Semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA 1992 Miss Teen All American 1993 as Miss Rhode Island Playboy Playmate and actress Current director of Nevada and Utah pageants |
| 1994 | Jennifer Gareis | New York City | 23 | | Top 6 Finalist (6th) | | Soap actress best known for her roles on The Young and the Restless (Grace Turner) and The Bold and the Beautiful (Donna Logan) |
| 1993 | Wendy Mock | Levittown | 21 | | Semi-finalist (12th) | | |
| 1992 | Christine Beachak | Peekskill | | | | | Represented New York in Miss Oktoberfest 1993, did not place |
| 1991 | Maureen Murray | New York City | 24 | | Semi-finalist (7th) | | Previously Miss New Hampshire Teen USA 1983 |
| 1990 | Patricia Murphy | Pearl River | | | | | |
| 1989 | Jennifer Fisher | Rochester | | | | | |
| 1988 | Linnea Mancini | Carmel | 24 | | | | Went on to become the pageant director for The CW reality show Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants |
| 1987 | Constance McCullough | New York City | | | | | |
| 1986 | Beth Laufer | West Islip | | | | | |
| 1985 | Lovey King | Yonkers | | | | | |
| 1984 | Caroline Flury | West Seneca | | | | | Miss Oktoberfest 1983 as Miss Buffalo |
| 1983 | Jennifer Mikelinich | Huntington | | Miss Huntington Station | Semi-finalist (12th) | | |
| 1982 | Annemarie Henderson | Monroe | | | | | |
| 1981 | Deborah Fountain | Bronx | 25 | | | | Previously Miss North Carolina World 1979 Top 8 finalist in Miss World America 1979 Was not allowed to compete at Miss USA after she was caught padding her swimsuit during the preliminary competition |
| 1980 | Debra Sue Maurice | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (8th) | | Previously Miss Massachusetts World 1st runner-up in Miss World America 1978 |
| 1979 | Mary Therese Friel | Pittsford | | | Miss USA 1979 | | Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1979 |
| 1978 | Darlene Javits | Plainview | | | | | |
| 1977 | Debbie Martin | New York City | | | | | |
| 1976 | Carol Doerr | New York City | | | | | |
| 1975 | Sonja Anderson | New York City | | | | | Later Miss New York 1976 |
| 1974 | Barbara Cooper | Brooklyn | | | 1st runner-up | Miss Photogenic | |
| 1973 | Susan Carlson | Schenectady | | | 1st runner-up | | Later Miss Tennessee World and represented Tennessee in Miss World USA 1975 Later Miss International USA 1976 3rd runner up at Miss International 1976 |
| 1972 | Alberta Phillips | Westbury | | | 1st runner-up | | |
| 1971 | Barbara Lopez | Yorktown Heights | | | | | |
| 1970 | Christina Tefft | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (11th) | | |
| 1969 | Rosemary Hradek | West Hempstead | | | Semi-finalist (10th) | | |
| 1968 | June West | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (9th) | | |
| 1967 | Wendy Cox | Bronxville | | | | | |
| 1966 | Nancy Self | New York City | | | Semi-Finalist (8th) | Best State Costume. | |
| 1965 | Gloria Jon | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (8th) | | |
| 1964 | Dorothy Langhans | Wantagh | | | Semi-finalist (9th) | | Later Miss New York World 4th runner up at Miss USA World 1965 |
| 1963 | Jeanne Quinn | East Meadow | 19 | | Semi-finalist (9th) | | Later Miss USA World 1964 Semifinalist at Miss World 1964 1st runner up at Miss American Beauty 1964 Title for USA representative at Miss International pageant |
| 1962 | Sherralyn Patecell | Flushing | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1961 | Alexa Currey | New York City | | | 3rd runner-up | | |
| 1960 | Mary Rodite | New York City | | | 1st runner-up | | |
| 1959 | Arlene Nesbitt | New York City | | | 4th runner-up | | 2nd runner-up in the 1960 Miss Sun Fun USA Pageant |
| 1958 | Virginia Fox | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (9th) | | |
| 1957 | Sanita Pelkey | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (12th) | | |
| 1956 | Kay Douglas | New York City | | | | | |
| 1955 | Janet Kadlecik | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (8th) | | |
| 1955 | Patricia O'Kane | New York City | | | Top 15 | | She represented New York City and finished in the Top 15. |
| 1954 | Karin Hultman | New York City | | | 1st runner-up | | Later 1st runner-up after original 1st runner-up was dethroned Later Miss World United States 1954 1st runner up at Miss World 1954 |
| 1954 | Renee Roy | New York City | | | 2nd runner-up | | She represented New York City and finished as 3rd runner-up, but later 2nd runner-up after the original 2nd moved one place up taking the place of the 1st runner-up |
| 1953 | Reta Knapp | New York City | | | Semi-finalist (16th) | | |
| 1952 | Jacqueline "Jackie" Loughery | Brooklyn | | | Miss USA 1952 | | Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1952 |
* ↑ Shanna Moakler was 1st runner-up at Miss USA, but succeeded the Miss USA title when Chelsi Smith became Miss Universe.
* ↑ Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant