# Miss South Carolina USA

The Miss South Carolina USA competition, previously known as Miss South Carolina Universe, is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. The pageant has been produced by Paula Miles, the sister of Miss South Carolina USA 1979, Janice McDonald, since 1980, and it has been directed by RPM Productions.
Miriam Stevenson, South Carolina's first Miss USA and the United States' first Miss Universe, was also the first Miss USA winner to have competed at Miss America. She was the first woman to have competed at Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Universe. South Carolina's second Miss USA was Shawn Weatherly, who also went on to win Miss Universe.
Nine Miss South Carolina USAs have also held the Miss South Carolina Teen USA title and competed at Miss Teen USA. Two have also competed at Miss America.
Miss South Carolina USA titleholders have also competed at two other major international pageants. Gina Tolleson, first runner-up at Miss USA 1990, went on to win the Miss World crown that year, and Miss South Carolina USA 2004, Amanda Pennekamp, has also competed at the Miss Earth 2006 pageant where she made the top 16.
Gracen Grainger of Clemson was crowned Miss South Carolina USA 2024 on June 15, 2024, at North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center in North Charleston. She will represent South Carolina for the title of Miss USA 2024.

## Gallery of titleholders

* Miriam Stevenson, Miss South Carolina USA 1954, Miss USA 1954 & Miss Universe 1954
* Shawn Weatherly, Miss South Carolina USA 1980, Miss USA 1980 & Miss Universe 1980
* Allison Grisso, Miss South Carolina USA 1983
* Maribeth Curry, Miss South Carolina USA 1986
* Gina Tolleson, Miss South Carolina USA 1990, Miss World USA 1990 & Miss World 1990
* Lu Parker, Miss South Carolina USA 1994, Miss USA 1994
* Amanda Pennekamp, Miss South Carolina USA 2004, competing as Miss Earth USA in the swimsuit competition at Miss Earth 2006
* Lacie Lybrand, Miss South Carolina USA 2006
* Stephanie Murray Smith, Miss South Carolina USA 2009

## Results summary

* Miss USAs: Miriam Stevenson (1954), Shawn Weatherly (1980), Lu Parker (1994)
* 1st runners-up: Mary Kemp Griffin (1953), Betty Cherry (1956), Vickie Chesser (1970), Gina Tolleson (1990), Amanda Pennekamp (2004)
* 2nd runners-up: Eva Engle (1969), Allison Grisso (1983), Audra Wallace (1992)
* 3rd runner-up: Virginia Murray (1976)
* 5th runner-up: Megan Pinckney (2013)
* Top 5/8: Lauren Poppell (1999), Courtney Turner (2011), Megan Gordon (2017), Marley Stokes (2021)
* Top 10/12: Susan Gordon (1972), Maribeth Curry (1986), April Abel (1988), Kelli Gosnell (1993), Lisa Rabon (2000), Ashley Williams (2002), Anna Hanks (2003), Lacie Lybrand (2006), Stephanie Murray Smith (2009), Christina Zapolski (2014)
* Top 15/16/19: Susan Anthony Day (1953), Sara Stone (1955), Jean Spotts (1957), Patricia Ann Moss (1958), Cecelia Yoder (1963), Vicki Harrison (1965), Ashley Zais (2007), Jamie Hill (2008), Erika Powell (2012), Leah Lawson (2016), Kirby Elizabeth Self (2023)
South Carolina holds a record of 38 placements at Miss USA third overall behind Texas and California.

### Awards

* Miss Congeniality: Kiki Kirkland (1973)
* Miss Photogenic: Sonja Glenn (1998)
* Best State Costume: Vicki Chesser (1970), Virginia Murray (1976)
* Best in Swimsuit: Lauren Poppell (1999)

## 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 | Gracen Grainger | Clemson | 22 | Miss Golden Corner | Top 20 | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2020 Top 16 at Miss Teen USA 2020 |
| 2023 | Kirby Elizabeth Self | Greenwood | 23 | Miss Upstate | Top 20 | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2018 First Runner-Up at Miss Teen USA 2018 |
| 2022 | Meera Bhonslé | Lexington | 25 | Miss Upstate | | | |
| 2021 | Marley Stokes | Lexington | 23 | Miss Golden Corner | Top 8 | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2016 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2016 |
| 2020 | Hannah Jane Curry | Greer | 20 | Miss Greenville | | | |
| 2019 | MaKenzie Divina | Anderson | 21 | Miss Upstate | | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen United States 2016 |
| 2018 | Tori Sizemore | Anderson | 22 | Miss Golden Corner | | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2013 1st runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2013 Later Miss South Carolina Volunteer 2022 |
| 2017 | Megan Gordon | North Augusta | 23 | Miss Upstate | Top 5 | | Later Miss South Carolina World 2019 Later 1st runner-up at Miss World America 2019 |
| 2016 | Leah Lawson | Laurens | 21 | Miss Mountain Lakes | Top 15 | | Auditioned on American Idol season 14 and eliminated during Hollywood Week |
| 2015 | Sarah Weishuhn | Goose Creek | 20 | Miss Summerville | | | |
| 2014 | Christina Zapolski | Charleston | 22 | Miss Isle of Palms | Top 10 | | Contestant on Hunted |
| 2013 | Megan Pinckney | North Charleston | 21 | Miss James Island | 5th runner-up | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2010 |
| 2012 | Erika Powell | Greenville | 26 | | Top 16 | | Previously Miss South Carolina 2005 Top 10 at Miss America 2006 Former nanny of Hugh Jackman |
| 2011 | Courtney Turner | North Augusta | 20 | | Top 8 | | Previously Miss United States Teen 2009 |
| 2010 | Rachel Law | Greenville | 21 | | | | |
| 2009 | Stephanie Murray Smith | Goose Creek | 21 | | Top 10 | | Contestant on The Amazing Race 17 |
| 2008 | Jamie Hill | Columbia | 24 | | Top 15 | | Contestant on The Amazing Race 10 |
| 2007 | Ashley Zais | Newberry | 20 | | Top 15 | | |
| 2006 | Lacie Lybrand | Lexington | 23 | | Top 10 | | Miss United States 2002 |
| 2005 | Sarah Medley | North Charleston | 18 | | | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2001 |
| 2004 | Amanda Pennekamp | Columbia | 22 | | 1st runner-up | | Later Miss Earth USA 2006 Top 16 semifinalist at Miss Earth 2006 |
| 2003 | Anna Hanks | Belton | 21 | | Top 10 | | Miss United States 2005 |
| 2002 | Ashley Williams | Little Mountain | 20 | | Top 12 (6th) | | |
| 2001 | Candace Richards | Fountain Inn | 24 | | | | |
| 2000 | Lisa Rabon | Myrtle Beach | 21 | | Top 10 (9th) | | |
| 1999 | Lauren Poppell | Rock Hill | 23 | | Top 5 (4th) | Best in Swimsuit | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 1993 Top 12 at Miss Teen USA 1993 |
| 1998 | Sonja Glenn | Chesnee | 21 | | | Miss Photogenic | |
| 1997 | Casey Mizell | Irmo | 22 | | | | |
| 1996 | Lysa Jackson | Charleston | 19 | | | | |
| 1995 | Danielle Corley | Lexington | 23 | | | | |
| 1994 | Lu Parker | Charleston | 26 | | Miss USA 1994 | | Top 6 finalist at Miss Universe 1994 |
| 1993 | Kelli Gosnell | Pacolet | 22 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1992 | Audra Wallace | Charleston | 22 | | 2nd Runner-up | | 2nd runner up at Miss World USA 1993 |
| 1991 | Traci Rufty | Columbia | 21 | | | | |
| 1990 | Gina Tolleson | Spartanburg | 20 | | 1st Runner-up | | Later Miss World America 1990 and Miss World 1990 |
| 1989 | Angela Shuler | Rock Hill | 21 | | | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 1986 |
| 1988 | April Abel | Johnston | 20 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1987 | Elizabeth Woodard | Aiken | 21 | | | | Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 1983 |
| 1986 | Maribeth Curry | Mauldin | 20 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1985 | Ann Margarete Hughes | Charleston | | | | | |
| 1984 | Ginger Greer | Lugoff | | | | | |
| 1983 | Allison Grisso | Columbia | 21 | | 2nd Runner-up | | |
| 1982 | Margo Wood | Columbia | | | | | |
| 1981 | Zade Turner | Myrtle Beach | 21 | | | | |
| 1980 | Shawn Weatherly | Sumter | 20 | | Miss USA 1980 | | Miss Universe 1980 |
| 1979 | Janice McDonald | Myrtle Beach | | | | | Co-founder of RPM Productions with her sister Paula Miles |
| 1978 | Kathryn Threatt | Pickens | | | | | |
| 1977 | Pam Hoover | Florence | | | | | |
| 1976 | Virginia Murray | Chester | | | 3rd Runner-up | Best Costume | Flight attendant and survivor of United Airlines Flight 232 |
| 1975 | Robin Morris | Greenville | | | | | |
| 1974 | Carol Lynn Hollis | Rock Hill | | | | | |
| 1973 | Kiki Kirkland | Newberry | 21 | | | Congeniality | |
| 1972 | Susan Gordon | Rock Hill | | | Semi-finalist | | Non-finalist at Miss World USA 1970 representing South Carolina |
| 1971 | Eunice Campbell | Eastover | | | | | |
| 1970 | Vicki Chesser | Mt. Pleasant | 19 | | 1st Runner-up | Best Costume | |
| 1969 | Eva Engle | Columbia | | | 2nd Runner-up | | |
| 1968 | Kathryn Knoy | | | | | | |
| 1967 | Hope Patterson | | | | | | |
| 1966 | Joselyn Alarie | | | | | |
| 1965 | Vicki Harrison | | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1964 | Judy Kennedy | | | | | | |
| 1963 | Cecelia Yoder | | | | Semifinalist | | Represented South Carolina in Miss USA World 1963 but did not place. |
| 1962 | Judy Clyburn | | | | | | |
| 1961 | Yvonne Quick | | | | | | |
| 1960 | Margaret Thompson | | | | | | |
| 1959 | Mary Powell | | | | | | |
| 1958 | Patricia Ann Moss | | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1957 | Jean Spotts | | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1956 | Betty Cherry | Columbia | | | 1st Runner-up | | Later Miss World United States 1956, 1st runner up at Miss World 1956. |
| 1955 | Sara Stone | | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1954 | Miriam Stevenson | Winnsboro | 20 | | Miss USA 1954 | | Miss Universe 1954 Previously Miss South Carolina 1953 |
| 1953 | Mary Kemp Griffin | | | | 1st runner-up | | She competed as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, represented the US at Miss World 1953, and finished as 5th runner-up |
| 1953 | Susan Anthony Day | | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1952 | Margie Allen | | | | | | |
* ↑ Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant