# Miss Maryland USA

The Miss Maryland USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Maryland in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Productions.
The first Miss USA winner from Maryland, Mary Leona Gage, won Miss USA 1957. However, she was later discovered to be a mother of two sons and was therefore dethroned. In 2012, Nana Meriwether placed 1st runner-up, but became Miss USA 2012 when Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe 2012.
Seven Maryland titleholders are former Miss Maryland Teen USAs. These four all reigned in the early 1990s, and in fact four out of seven titleholders from 1990 to 1995 were former teens. Only four Miss Maryland USA has competed at Miss America.
From 2006 to 2008, each woman who won Miss Maryland USA was the previous year's first runner-up.
In June 2024, Bailey Anne Kennedy became the first trans woman to win the pageant.
Bailey Anne Kennedy of Williamsport was crowned Miss Maryland USA 2024 on June 1, 2024 at Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Rockville. She represented Maryland at Miss USA 2024 but went unplaced.

## Gallery of titleholders

* Mary Leona Gage, Miss Maryland USA 1957 & Miss USA 1957
* Michaé Holloman, Miss Maryland USA 2007
* Casandra Tressler, Miss Maryland USA 2008
* Nana Meriwether, Miss Maryland USA 2012. She later assumed the Miss USA 2012 title after Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe 2012
* Taylor Dawson, Miss Maryland Teen USA 2015 and Mamé Adjei, Miss Maryland USA 2015 at an event for military families
* Bailey Anne Kennedy, Miss Maryland USA 2024

## Results summary
### Miss USA placements

* Miss USAs: Mary Leona Gage †(1957)
* 1st runners-up: Paulette Reck (1968), Nana Meriwether (2012)
* 4th runners-up: Betty Jo Grove (1973), Mamé Adjei (2015)
* Top 8/10/12: Carol Theis (1971), Tonja Walker (1980), Linda Lambert (1981), Angie Boyer (1982), Rowann Brewer (1988), Jennifer Wilhoit (1995), Marina Harrison (2005), Allyn Rose (2011), Taylor Burton (2014), Mariela Pepin (2019), Layilah Nasser (2021)
* Top 15/20: Barbara Eschenburg (1954), Charlene Holt (1956), Diane White (1959), Royette Tarry (1964), Roselaine Zetter (1966), Sandy Clevering (1967), Kasey Staniszewski (2013), Brittinay Nicolette (2018), Savena Mushinge (2023)
Maryland holds a record of 25 placements at Miss USA.

### Awards

* Miss Photogenic: Rowann Brewer (1988)
* Style Award: Megan Gunning (2001)

## 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 | Bailey Anne Kennedy | Williamsport | 31 | Miss Williamsport | | | |
| 2023 | Savena Mushinge | Germantown | 26 | Miss Germantown | Top 20 | | Previously Miss Supranational Zambia 2022 |
| 2022 | Caleigh Shade | Cumberland | 22 | | | | Previously Miss Maryland Teen USA 2018 Top 15 at Miss Teen USA 2018 |
| 2021 | Layilah Nasser | Montgomery Village | 26 | | Top 8 | | |
| 2020 | Taelyr Robinson | Annapolis | 27 | | | | Minor part in The Vineyard Represented USA at Miss Model of the World 2016 Longest reigning Miss Maryland USA (1 year, 8 months, and 15 days) |
| 2019 | Mariela Pepin | Severn | 23 | | Top 10 | | Born in Puerto Rico Previously Miss Maryland Teen USA 2014 Previously Top 10 finalist at Miss World America 2017 Later contestant on season 25 of The Bachelor and season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise. Later Miss Intercontinental Puerto Rico 2022 and 1st runner-up at Miss Intercontinental 2022 |
| 2018 | Brittinay Nicolette | Fallston | 26 | | Top 15 | | |
| 2017 | Adrianna David | Rockville | 22 | Miss University of Maryland | | | Later Miss Maryland 2018 |
| 2016 | Christina Denny | Owings Mills | 25 | | | | Previously Miss Maryland 2013 Top 10 at Miss America 2014 Represented Maryland at Miss World America 2016 Top 12 at Miss World America 2016 Previously Miss Globe United States 2017 1st runner-up at Miss Globe International 2017 |
| 2015 | Mamé Adjei | Silver Spring | 23 | | 4th runner-up | | 1st runner-up on America's Next Top Model Cycle 22 |
| 2014 | Taylor Burton | La Plata | 25 | | Top 10 | | |
| 2013 | Kasey Staniszewski | Annapolis | 21 | | Top 15 | | Triple crown winner Previously Miss Maryland's Outstanding Teen 2007 Previously Miss Maryland Teen USA 2009 3rd runner-up to Miss Teen USA 2009 |
| 2012 | Nana Meriwether | Potomac | 27 | | 1st runner-up | | Became Miss USA 2012 after Olivia Culpo became Miss Universe 2012 Born in South Africa |
| 2011 | Allyn Rose | Newburg | 22 | | Top 8 | | Later Miss District of Columbia 2012 Later Miss U.S. Supranational 2014 3rd Runner-up at Miss Supranational 2014 |
| 2010 | Simone Feldman | North Potomac | 23 | | | | |
| 2009 | Gabrielle Carlson | Marion Station | 24 | | | | |
| 2008 | Casandra Tressler | Damascus | 22 | | | | Later Miss U.S. International 2010 |
| 2007 | Michaé Holloman | Fort Washington | 25 | | | | Cheerleader for Washington Redskins |
| 2006 | Melissa DiGiulian | Bowie | 20 | | | | |
| 2005 | Marina Harrison | Severn | 24 | | Top 10 | | Previously Miss Maryland 2003 3rd runner-up at Miss America 2004 pageant |
| 2004 | Tia Shorts | Gaithersburg | 24 | | | | |
| 2003 | Jamie Kramer | Pasadena | | | | | |
| 2002 | Mistie Renee Adams | Silver Spring | | | | | |
| 2001 | Megan Gunning | Fallston | | | | Style Award | |
| 2000 | Christie S. Davis | Silver Spring | | | | | Sister of Wendy Davis, Miss Maryland USA 1994 |
| 1999 | Kelly Donohue | Union Bridge | | | | | |
| 1998 | Maria Lynn Sheriff | Bowie | | | | | |
| 1997 | Ann Coale | Baltimore | | | | | |
| 1996 | Michele Michael | Annapolis | | | | | |
| 1995 | Jennifer Danielle Wilhoit | Annapolis | 22 | | Top 12 | | Previously Miss Maryland Teen USA 1991 |
| 1994 | Wendy Davis | Silver Spring | | | | | Sister of Christy Davis, Miss Maryland USA 2000 |
| 1993 | Mary Ann Cimino | Baltimore | | | | | Previously Miss Maryland Teen USA 1990 |
| 1992 | Renee Rebstock | Pasadena | | | | | Previously Miss Maryland Teen USA 1987 |
| 1991 | Lisa Marie Lawson | Crofton | | | | | |
| 1990 | Julie Stanford | Edgewater | | | | | Previously Miss Maryland Teen USA 1986 |
| 1989 | Jackie Carroll | Gaithersburg | | | | | |
| 1988 | Rowanne Brewer | Silver Spring | 23 | | Semi-finalist | Miss Photogenic | Married rock musician Jani Lane |
| 1987 | Michelle Snow | Germantown | | | | | |
| 1986 | Kelly Koehler | Churchton | | | | | |
| 1985 | Christine Marie | Baldwin | | | | | |
| 1984 | Betsy Cook* | Bethesda | | | | | |
| 1983 | Shawn Keller | Ashton | | | | | |
| 1982 | Angie Boyer | Dunkirk | 18 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1981 | Linda Susan Lambert | Baltimore | 22 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1980 | Tonja Walker | Kingsville | 19 | | Semi-finalist | | Previously Miss Teen All American 1979 |
| 1979 | Jean Bourne | Silver Spring | | | | | |
| 1978 | Rhonda Koch | Brookeville | | | | | Unplaced at Miss World USA 1976, as Miss District of Columbia World. |
| 1977 | Twyla Littleton | Oxon Hill | | | | | |
| 1976 | Linda Lee Potter | Adelphi | | | | | |
| 1975 | Ellen Bowie | Templeville | | | | | |
| 1974 | Mary Jo Ruppert | College Park | | | | | |
| 1973 | Betty Jo Grove | College Park | 19 | | 4th runner-up | | |
| 1972 | Patty Townsend | Silver Spring | | | | | |
| 1971 | Carol Jeanne Theis | Silver Spring | 20 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1970 | Beckie Price | Camp Springs | | | | | |
| 1969 | Ardis Fowler | Ellicott City | | | | | |
| 1968 | Paulette Reck | Perry Hall | 20 | | 1st runner-up | | 2nd runner up at Miss World USA 1969 |
| 1967 | Sandra Clevering | Silver Spring | 19 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1966 | Roselaine Zetter | Bowie | 22 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1965 | Barbara Kiefer | Baltimore | | | | | |
| 1964 | Royette Michele Tarry | Baltimore | 19 | | Semi-finalist | | Represented Delaware in Miss World USA 1970 |
| 1963 | Marsha Barbara Metrinko | Laurel | | | | | Represented New York City at the Miss America 1964 pageant Sister of Michele Metrinko, Miss District of Columbia USA 1963 and United States representative at Miss World |
| 1962 | Shelda Farley | Catonsville | | | | | |
| 1961 | Gail Baxter | High Point | | | | | |
| 1960 | Jerri Fiorilli | Baltimore | | | | | |
| 1959 | Diane Dolores White | Baltimore | 24 | | Semi-finalist | | 3rd runner up at Miss World USA 1961 Mother of Miss Georgia USA 1989 |
| 1958 | Patricia Vogts | Silver Spring | | | | | |
| 1957 | Mary Leona Gage* | Glen Burnie | 18 | | Miss USA 1957 | | Dethroned after it was discovered she was married and had two children |
| 1956 | Charlene Holt* | Annapolis | 28 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1955 | Gloria Ruth King | Baltimore | | | | | |
| 1954 | Barbara Eschenburg | Berlin | | | Semi-finalist | | Disqualified (under age) |
| 1953 | Diane Gale Durham | Silver Spring | | | | | |
| 1952 | Did not compete | | | | | | |