# Miss Louisiana USA

The Miss Louisiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.
Miss Louisiana USA is produced by RPM Productions since 1990, which also produces the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA state pageants for Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina. RPM Productions' headquarters is in Aiken, South Carolina.
Sydney Taylor of Livingston was crowned Miss Louisiana USA 2024 on March 30, 2024, at Jefferson Performing Arts Center in Metairie. She will represent Louisiana at Miss USA 2024.

## History

Louisiana is one of only seven states to have three or more Miss USA winners (in 1958, 1961, and 1996).
Four Miss Louisiana USA titleholders previously held the Miss Louisiana Teen USA title, including Ali Landry, who became the third woman from Louisiana to be crowned Miss USA.
Jennifer Dupont, Miss Louisiana USA 2000, is one of only seven women who have competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss America pageants.
Louisiana's future success at Miss USA would be evident in the state's first contestant, Jeanne Vaughn Thompson, Miss Louisiana USA 1952 and 1953. She is the only woman to ever compete twice in the history of Miss USA, and to outright win a Miss USA state title twice.
Thompson was also the only two-time state titleholder in Miss USA history, a record she held for 44 years until Shanna Lyn Searles became the second and only other double state titleholder. Searles won the Miss California USA title outright in 1996 after inheriting the state's 1992 title due to the original winner, Shannon Marketic, being crowned Miss USA 1992.
Thompson's overall pageant success includes winning the Miss Louisiana state title and competing at Miss America in 1951, winning the first two Miss Louisiana USA state titles and competing in the first and second Miss USA pageants, becoming the first-ever 1st runner-up in 1952 and a semi-finalist and Miss Congeniality (Amity) winner in 1953. Her two consecutive participations in Miss USA and subsequent final placements prompted organizers to create a rule allowing a person to compete for the title only once.
Miss Louisiana USA contestants accomplished another feat first, winning both the Miss Congeniality (Amity) and Miss Photogenic awards ever given to a Miss USA state delegate. Thompson was the winner of the Miss Congeniality award given to the first Miss USA state contestant in 1953.
The second Miss Congeniality award given also went to another contestant from Louisiana, Judy Fletcher in 1960. That year, during the era when both Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held at the same time, Fletcher tied with a Miss Universe contestant from Myanmar (known at the time as Burma) for the award.
Sharon Brown, who represented Louisiana in 1961, won the first Miss Photogenic award given to a Miss USA state delegate. She also won the Miss USA title, the first Miss Photogenic winner to obtain that feat.
Louisiana is one of only two states (California the other) to have won both the Miss USA title and the Miss Photogenic award in the same year on two separate occasions (Brown in 1961 and Landry in 1996).

## Gallery of titleholders

* Arlene Howell, Miss Louisiana USA 1958 & Miss USA 1958
* Sharon Brown, Miss Louisiana USA 1961 & Miss USA 1961
* Ali Landry, Miss Louisiana USA 1996 & Miss USA 1996
* Elizabeth McNulty, Miss Louisiana USA 2007
* Michelle Berthelot, Miss Louisiana USA 2008
* Sara Brooks, Miss Louisiana USA 2010

## Results summary
### Placements

* Miss USAs: Eurlyne Howell (1958), Sharon Brown (1961), Ali Landry (1996)
* 1st runners-up: Jeanne Thompson (1952)
* 2nd runners-up: Lisa Lynn Moss (1981)
* 3rd runners-up: Kathy Hebert (1968), Pamela Forrest (1983), Sarie Joubert (1985), Elizabeth Primm (1989), Brittany Guidry (2014)
* 4th runners-up: Robyn Sanders (1976)
* Top 6: Shirelle Hebert (1994), Elizabeth Coxe (1995)
* Top 10/11/12: Bonnie Martin (1972), Storm Hensley (1973), Karen Hoff (1974), Christy Saylor (1992), Debbie Delhomme (1998), Anne-Katherine Lene (2002), Kristen Girault (2013), Candice Bennatt (2015)
* Top 15/16/20: Jeanne Thompson (1953), Mary Lobianco (1959), Judy Fletcher (1960), Elizabeth McNulty (2007), Erin Edmiston (2012), Victoria Paul (2019), Mariah Clayton (2020), Tanya Crowe (2021)
Louisiana holds a record of 29 placements at Miss USA.

### Awards

* Miss Photogenic: Sharon Brown (1961), Kathy Hebert (1968), Elizabeth Primm (1989), Ali Landry (1996)
* Miss Congeniality: Jeanne Thompson (1953), Judy Fletcher (1960)
* Best State Costume: 2nd Place: Elizabeth Primm (1989)

## Winners
### Color key

* Declared as Winner
* Ended as runner-up or finalist
* Ended as one of the semifinalists
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age$^1$ | Local title | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
| 2024 | Sydney Taylor | Livingston | 23 | Miss Lafayette | | | Previously Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2020 4th Runner-Up at Miss Teen USA 2020 |
| 2023 | Sylvia Masters | Houma | 27 | Miss Sportsman's Paradise | | | |
| 2022 | Katelyn "KT" Scannell | Denham Springs | 22 | Miss Lafayette | | | |
| 2021 | Tanya Crowe | Amite City | 28 | Miss New Orleans | Top 16 | | Professional cheerleader for the New Orleans Saintsations |
| 2020 | Mariah Clayton | Zachary | 23 | Miss Greater Baton Rouge | Top 16 | | |
| 2019 | Victoria Paul | Alexandria | 26 | Miss Lafayette | Top 15 | | Later a contestant on season 24 of The Bachelor and season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise |
| 2018 | Lauren Vizza | Shreveport | 27 | Miss Shreveport | | | Previously Miss Louisiana 2012 |
| 2017 | Bethany Trahan | Lake Charles | 21 | Miss Calcasieu | | | |
| 2016 | Maaliyah Papillion | Lake Charles | 21 | Miss Lake Charles | | | |
| 2015 | Candice Bennatt | New Orleans | 26 | Miss Ville Platte | Top 11 | | Previously Miss New Mexico 2012. Former Houston Texans Cheerleader. |
| 2014 | Brittany Guidry | Houma | 21 | Miss Florida Parishes | 3rd Runner-up | | Previously Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2009 and 4th runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2009; one of few women to place in the top 5 at both Miss Teen USA and Miss USA Cousin of Michelle Berthelot, Miss Louisiana USA 2008 |
| 2013 | Kristen Girault | Metairie | | 21 | Miss Florida Parish | Top 10 | | New Orleans Saints cheerleader |
| 2012 | Erin Edmiston | Lafayette | 22 | Miss Camellia City | Top 16 | | |
| 2011 | Page Pennock | Shreveport | 21 | | | | |
| 2010 | Sara Brooks | New Orleans | 22 | | | | |
| 2009 | Lacey Minchew | Baton Rouge | 24 | | | | Previously Miss Teen America 2002, representing Georgia. Originally from Marietta. |
| 2008 | Michelle Berthelot | Hammond | 26 | | | | Cousin of Brittany Guidry, Miss Louisiana USA 2014 |
| 2007 | Elizabeth McNulty | Lafayette | 25 | | Top 15 | | |
| 2006 | Christina Cuenca | Chalmette | 26 | | | | |
| 2005 | Candice Stewart | Metairie | 21 | | | | Previously Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2002. Contestant on Big Brother 15. |
| 2004 | Melissa McConnell | Ruston | 27 | | | | |
| 2003 | Brittney Rogers | Shreveport | 20 | | | | Contestant on The Amazing Race 8. Winner of Fear Factor Miss USA episode |
| 2002 | Anne-Katherine Lene | Abbeville | | | Top 12 | |
| 2001 | Heather Hayden | Amite | | | | | |
| 2000 | Jennifer Dupont | Plaquemine | | | | | Previously Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1998, Miss Louisiana 2004 and 1st runner up at Miss America 2005 |
| 1999 | Melissa Bongiovanni | Baton Rouge | | | | | |
| 1998 | Debbie Delhomme | Lafayette | Top 10 | | | | |
| 1997 | Nikole Viola | Walker | | | | | |
| 1996 | Ali Landry | Breaux Bridge | 26 | | Miss USA 1996 | Miss Photogenic | Previously Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1990 (Top 12 at Miss Teen USA 1990), Top 6 finalist at Miss Universe 1996 |
| 1995 | Elizabeth Coxe | Springfield | 24 | | Top 6 | | |
| 1994 | Shirelle Hebert | Arabi | | | Top 6 | | |
| 1993 | Jennifer Mitchell | Leesville | | | | | |
| 1992 | Christy Saylor | Baton Rouge | | | Top 11 | | |
| 1991 | Melinda Murphy | West Monroe | | | | | |
| 1990 | Jeanne Burns | Baton Rouge | | | | | Currently evening news anchor for NBC affiliate WVLA in Baton Rouge. |
| 1989 | Elizabeth Primm | Houma | | | 3rd Runner-up | Miss Photogenic, 2nd Place Best Costume | Miss USA at Miss Asia Pacific 1989, did not place; Star Search 1990 Spokesmodel contestant. |
| 1988 | Rhonda Vinson | Shreveport | | | | | |
| 1987 | Carol Carter | Shreveport | | | | | Previously Miss Louisiana 1985 |
| 1986 | Cecelia Brady | Olla | | | | | Now Cecelia Gonzalez of San Diego, California. Her father was Louisiana State Representative Thomas "Bud" Brady. |
| 1985 | Sarie Joubert | Shreveport | | | 3rd Runner-up | | 1st runner up at Miss International 1985 as Miss USA. |
| 1984 | Rusanne Jourdan | Baton Rouge | | | | | |
| 1983 | Pamela Forrest | Baton Rouge | | | 3rd Runner-up | | Mrs. America 1987 and Mrs. World 1988 |
| 1982 | Lisa Michael | Baton Rouge | | | | | |
| 1981 | Lisa Lynn Moss | Shreveport | | | 2nd Runner-up | | Later Miss World USA 1981 and Top 5 finalist at Miss World 1981 |
| 1980 | Kelly Bonin | Baton Rouge | | | | | |
| 1979 | Lisa Anderson | Gretna | 19 | | | | |
| 1978 | Tauny Hanes | Baton Rouge | | | | | |
| 1977 | Patti Rosenbalm | Bossier City | | | | | |
| 1976 | Robyn Sanders | Winnfield | | | 4th Runner-up | | |
| 1975 | Rhonda Shear | New Orleans | | | | | Television program host and actor, best known for her role as host of the USA Network's weekend movie show, USA Up All Night |
| 1974 | Karen Hoff | Bossier City | | | Top 12 | | |
| 1973 | Storm Hensley | Bossier City | | | Top 12 | | Was a sergeant in the Air Force stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City |
| 1972 | Bonnie Martin | Ashland | 21 | | Top 12 | | |
| 1971 | Diana Risenstein | Bossier City | | | | | |
| 1970 | Nadine Robertson | Bossier City | | | | | |
| 1969 | Patricia Dupre | Washington | | | | | |
| 1968 | Kathy Hebert | Franklin | | | 3rd Runner-up | Miss Photogenic | |
| 1967 | Dianne Mader | Houma | 21 | | | | |
| 1966 | Tanya Becnel | Ama | | | | | |
| 1965 | Terri Sommers | Shreveport | 19 | | | | |
| 1964 | Linda Graves | Shreveport | | | | | |
| 1963 | Peggy Romero | Kaplan | | | | | |
| 1962 | Diana Jane Smith | Oak Ridge | | | | | Semifinalist in Miss World USA 1962 |
| 1961 | Sharon Brown | Minden | | | Miss USA 1961 | Miss Photogenic | 4th runner up at Miss Universe 1961 |
| 1960 | Judy Fletcher | Alexandria | | | Top 15 | Miss Congeniality | |
| 1959 | Mary Margaret Lobianco | | | | Top 15 | | |
| 1958 | Eurlyne Howell | Bossier City | | | Miss USA 1958 | | 3rd runner up at Miss Universe 1958 |
| 1957 | Earlyn Regouffre | New Orleans | | | | | |
| 1956 | Cecile Morris | Baton Rouge | 19 | | | | |
| 1955 | Merlin Garcia | Gretna | 19 | | | | |
| 1954 | Sadie Vinson | New Orleans | | | | | Finalist in the 1955 Miss Dixie Pageant |
| 1953 | Jeanne Thompson | Baton Rouge | | | Top 20 | Miss Congeniality | Only woman ever to compete in Miss USA pageant twice. Previously Miss Louisiana 1951. Also competed in the 1952 Maid of Cotton Pageant |
| 1952 | Jeanne Thompson | Baton Rouge | 1st Runner-up | | | | Only woman ever to compete in Miss USA pageant twice. Previously Miss Louisiana 1951. Also competed in the 1952 Maid of Cotton Pageant |
$^1$ Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant