# Miss America 2015

Miss America 2015 was the 88th Miss America pageant, held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 14, 2014.
Nina Davuluri of New York crowned Kira Kazantsev of New York as her successor at the end of the event, making it the third consecutive year that a Miss New York won the Miss America crown; New York thus became the first state to have a Miss America winner three years in a row.

## Results
### Placements

| Placement | Contestant |
| Miss America 2015 | New York – Kira Kazantsev |
| 1st Runner-Up | Virginia – Courtney Garrett |
| 2nd Runner-Up | Arkansas – Ashton Campbell |
| 3rd Runner-Up | Florida – Victoria Cowen |
| 4th Runner-Up | Massachusetts – Lauren Kuhn |
| Top 10 | Alabama – Caitlin Brunell  Mississippi – Jasmine Murray  Ohio – Mackenzie Bart  Oklahoma – Alexandra Eppler  Tennessee – Hayley Lewis |
| Top 12 | Iowa – Alysa Olson  Kentucky – Ramsey Carpenter |
| Top 16 | Connecticut – Acacia Courtney  Idaho – Sierra Sandison §  North Dakota – Jacky Arness ∆  Texas – Monique Evans |
§ - America's Choice
∆ - Judge's Choice

### Awards
#### Preliminary awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Lifestyle and Fitness | Florida - Victoria Cowen Maryland - Jade Kenny Oklahoma - Alexandra Eppler |
| Talent | Kentucky - Ramsey Carpenter Ohio - Mackenzie Bart Pennsylvania - Amanda Smith |

## Contestants

53 contestants competed for the title.
| State | Name | Hometown | Age | Talent | Placement | Awards | Notes |
| Alabama | Caitlin Brunell | Tuscaloosa | 22 | Dance "Let It Go" from Frozen | Top 10 | Quality of Life Award Winner | Daughter of former NFL quarterback, Mark Brunell Previously Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2007 Crowned Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 |
| Alaska | Malie Delgado | Anchorage | 19 | Vocal | | | Contestant on The Price is Right, American Idol and The X Factor |
| Arizona | Alexa Rogers | Scottsdale | 23 | Dance | | | |
| Arkansas | Ashton Campbell | Hindsville | 20 | Vocal "Via Dolorosa" | 2nd runner-up | | Previously Miss Arkansas's Outstanding Teen 2011 |
| California | Marina Inserra | San Diego | 24 | Vocal "Bring Him Home" | | | |
| Colorado | Stacey Cook | Littleton | 23 | Tahitian Dance "Runaway Baby" | | | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 |
| Connecticut | Acacia Courtney | Hamden | 21 | Ballet en Pointe "Kitri's Variations" from Don Quixote | Top 16 | | Previously Miss Connecticut's Outstanding Teen 2009 Later Miss Connecticut USA 2019 Currently a TV reporter and paddock analyst for Gulfstream Park |
| Delaware | Brittany Lewis | Wilmington, Brigantine, NJ | 24 | Jazz Dance | | Quality of Life Award 1st runner-up | 1st runner-up at Miss Delaware 2014; Assumed title when Amanda Longacre was dethroned |
| District of Columbia | Teresa Davis | Hoschton, GA | 23 | Piano "Malaguena" | | | Born in South Korea |
| Florida | Victoria Cowen | Panama City | 21 | Dance "Note to God" | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Thought to be 1st runner-up at Miss Florida 2014; Assumed title one week later due to miscount on tabulation |
| Georgia | Maggie Bridges | Brinson | 21 | Vocal "Bridge Under Troubled Water" | | STEM Scholarship Award | |
| Hawaii | Stephanie Steuri | Kalaheo | 20 | Hula "The Prayer" | | | Mother competed as Miss Maui at Miss Hawaii 1977 |
| Idaho | Sierra Sandison | Twin Falls | 20 | Vocal | Top 16 (America's Choice) | | Is a Type 1 diabetic 1st runner-up at Miss Idaho USA 2021 competition |
| Illinois | Marisa Buchheit | Chicago | 24 | Operatic Vocal "Je veux vivre" from Roméo et Juliette | | | 1st runner-up at Miss Illinois USA 2018 competition |
| Indiana | Audra Casterline | Fishers | 23 | Vocal "Over the Rainbow" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 |
| Iowa | Alysa Lou Olson | Des Moines | 21 | Vocal "If I Loved You" from Carousel / Vocal "How Will I Ever Know" | Top 12 | | Previously Miss Iowa's Outstanding Teen 2010 |
| Kansas | Amanda Sasek | Moberly, MO | 23 | Vocal "I Don't Know My Own Strength" / Vocal "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" | | Quality of Life Award Finalist | |
| Kentucky | Ramsey Carpenter | Hartford | 23 | Fiddle "Sally Goodin'" and "Orange Blossom Special" | Top 12 | Preliminary Talent Award | Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2012 |
| Louisiana | Lacey Sanchez | Baton Rouge | 24 | Vocal | | Non-finalist Interview Award | |
| Maine | Audrey Thames | Topsham | 18 | Comedic Monologue "Yma Dream" | | | |
| Maryland | Jade Kenny | Madison | 23 | Contemporary Ballet en Pointe "Everybody Dance Now" | | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Washington Redskins cheerleader Semifinalist at Miss District of Columbia USA 2018 3rd runner-up at Miss Virginia USA 2019 |
| Massachusetts | Lauren Kuhn | Boston / Aberdeen, WA | 23 | Piano "Valse Dramatico" by Melody Bober | 4th runner-up | STEM Scholarship Award | |
| Michigan | Kaitlyn Maviglia | Dundee | 21 | Dance "Be Italian" from Nine | | | Diagnosed with Sensorineural hearing loss at age 9 |
| Minnesota | Savannah Cole | Brainerd | 18 | Vocal "Somebody to Love" by Queen / Vocal "House of the Rising Sun" | | | |
| Mississippi | Jasmine Murray | Columbus | 22 | Vocal "Something's Got a Hold on Me" | Top 10 | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2007 Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 American Idol season 8 finalist |
| Missouri | Jessica Hartman | Pueblo, CO | 23 | Dance "Steppin' Out with My Baby" | | | Previously Miss Colorado USA 2010 3rd runner-up at Miss USA 2010 pageant Miss Intercontinental 2011 representing United States |
| Montana | Victoria Valentine | Missoula | 22 | Vocal "Danny Boy" and accompanied herself on the harp / Vocal & Harp "I Won't Give Up" (at Preliminaries) | | | Previously Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen 2008 |
| Nebraska | Megan Swanson | Omaha | 21 | Vocal "You Raise Me Up" | | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Later Miss Nebraska USA 2020 |
| Nevada | Ellie Smith | Henderson | 17 | Vocal "Somebody to Love" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | Sister of Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2014, Amy Smith Previously Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2012 |
| New Hampshire | Megan Cooley | Auburn | 19 | Vocal "On My Way" written by Ali Tamposi and Fernando Garibay | | | |
| New Jersey | Cierra Kaler-Jones | Galloway | 21 | Dance "Listen" by Beyoncé | | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Born with hip dysplasia |
| New Mexico | Jessica Burson | Roswell | 20 | Jazz Dance "Steam Heat" from 1954 Broadway musical The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross | | STEM Scholarship Award | |
| New York | Kira Kazantsev | Manhattan | 23 | Vocal with Cup Percussion "Happy" by Pharrell Williams | Miss America 2015 | | Previously Miss California Jr. and Miss California Preteen |
| North Carolina | Beth Stovall | Goldsboro | 20 | Classical Vocal "Chi Bel Sogno di Doretta" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| North Dakota | Jacky Arness | Fargo | 21 | Vocal "Feeling Good" written by English songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse | Top 16 (Judges' Choice) | Miss Congeniality | Previously North Dakota's Junior Miss 2011 Top 10 at Miss America's Junior Miss 2011 1st runner-up at Miss North Dakota USA 2018 pageant |
| Ohio | Mackenzie Victoria Bart | Columbus | 22 | Ventriloquism "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award STEM Scholarship Award | Contestant on Funny or Die Presents: America's Next Weatherman |
| Oklahoma | Alexandra Eppler | Edmond | 24 | Dance "Wonderland" / Dance "Titanium" (at Preliminaries) | Top 10 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Quality of Life Award Finalist | |
| Oregon | Rebecca Anderson | Oregon City | 23 | Vocal | | | |
| Pennsylvania | Amanda Fallon Smith | Dade City, FL | 21 | Vocal "Wishing You Were Somewhere Here Again" from The Phantom of the Opera | | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award | |
| Puerto Rico | Yarelis Salgado | Toa Alta | 20 | Flamenco Fusion | | | Later Miss International Puerto Rico 2018 |
| Rhode Island | Ivy DePew | Providence | 23 | Flute "Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band | | | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2013 |
| South Carolina | Lanie Hudson | Spartanburg | 23 | Clogging "Think" by Aretha Franklin | | | Competed on America's Got Talent with dance troupe |
| South Dakota | Meridith Gould | Sioux Falls | 19 | Dance en Pointe "Hedwig's Theme" | | | Previously Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2012 Later Miss Minnesota USA 2017 and 2nd runner-up at Miss USA 2017 |
| Tennessee | Hayley Lewis | Nashville/ Independence, MO | 21 | Vocal "I (Who Have Nothing)" | Top 10 | | |
| Texas | Monique Evans | Austin | 22 | Ballet en Pointe "Requiem for a Tower" | Top 16 | | Later Miss Florida USA 2020 |
| Utah | Karlie Major | Logan | 20 | Dance "Forget About the Boy" from Thoroughly Modern Millie | | | |
| Vermont | Lucy Edwards | Burlington | 19 | Vocal "I Am Changing" from the Dreamgirls cast album / Vocal "You'll Never Walk Alone" | | STEM Scholarship Award | |
| Virgin Islands | Ashley Gabriel | Orlando, FL | 19 | Vocal "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele | | | |
| Virginia | Courtney Paige Garrett | Pamplin | 21 | Opera (Classical Vocal) "Parla Piu Piano" from The Godfather | 1st runner-up | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2009 Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2010 |
| Washington | Kailee Dunn | Kennewick | 22 | Vocal "Someone Like You" | | | |
| West Virginia | Paige Madden | Moundsville | 21 | Vocal "Gravity" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| Wisconsin | Raeanna Mary Johnson | Holmen | 24 | Dance "Hallelujah" by Alexandra Burke | | | First woman to hold the Miss Wisconsin title two times; she had previously held the 2011 title after Laura Kaeppeler was crowned Miss America 2012 3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2011 |
| Wyoming | Jessie Allen | Lander | 24 | Dance | | | Younger sister of Miss Wyoming USA 2012, Holly Allen And on Big brother 21 |