# Miss Nevada USA

The Miss Nevada USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss USA pageant.
While Nevada did well in the early years of the Miss USA pageant, they only placed once from 1987 to 2000. This streak was broken by Gina Giacinto's finalist placing in Miss USA 2001. Many Miss Nevada USA titleholders previously competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss America pageants. Seven titleholders previously held the Miss Teen USA state titles six of which having won Miss Nevada Teen USA and the other was Miss Washington Teen USA, three held the Miss Nevada Crown in the Miss America Pageant.
Nia Sanchez of Las Vegas became the first Miss USA ever from the state of Nevada when she was crowned Miss USA 2014, she later placed first runner-up in Miss Universe 2014 to Paulina Vega of Colombia.
Najah Ali of Las Vegas was crowned Miss Nevada USA 2024 on June 30, 2024, at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. She will represent Nevada at Miss USA 2024.

## Gallery of titleholders

* Lauren Scyphers, Miss Nevada USA 2006
* Helen Salas after placing first runner-up in Miss Nevada USA 2007, she became Miss Nevada USA after Katie Rees was stripped of her crown.
* Veronica Grabowski, Miss Nevada USA 2008
* Julianna Erdesz, Miss Nevada USA 2010
* Nia Sanchez, Miss Nevada USA 2014 and Miss USA 2014

## Results summary
### Placements

* Miss USA: Nia Sanchez (2014)
* 1st runners-up: Mary O'Neal Contino (1977)
* 2nd runners-up: Joan Adams (1957), Karen Weller (1961), Kathy Landry (1968), Sheri Schruhl (1970), Carolina Urrea (2018)
* 3rd runners-up: Jade Kelsall (2012), Brittany McGowan (2015)
* 4th runners-up: Janet Hadland (1962), Helen Salas (2007)
* Top 5: Gia Giacinto (2001), Tianna Tuamoheloa (2019)
* Top 10/11/12: Linda Dryden (1974), Christa Lane Daniel (1983), Tammy Perkins (1987), Chelsea Caswell (2013)
* Top 15/16/19/20: Earlene Whitt (1953), Joy Blaine (1959), Kathee Francis (1963), Denyse Turner (1965), Jacqueline Moore (1967), Karen Essklinger (1969), Lauren Scyphers (2006), Victoria Olona (2020), Josie Stephens (2023), Najah Ali (2024)
Nevada holds a record of 27 placements at Miss USA.

### Awards

* Miss Congeniality: Alesia Prentiss (1992)
* Best State Costume: Lagracella Omran (1988)

## Winners
### Color key

* Declared as winner of Miss USA
* Ended as runner-up for Miss USA
* Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists for Miss USA
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age$^1$ | Local title | Placement | Special awards | Notes |
| 2024 | Najah Ali | Las Vegas | 23 | Miss Silver State | Top 20 | | |
| 2023 | Josie Stephens | Fallon | 27 | Miss Sun Valley | Top 20 | | |
| 2022 | Summer Keffeler | Paradise | 21 | Miss Paradise | | | Previously Miss Washington Teen USA 2018 Sister of Stormy Keffeler, original titleholder of Miss Washington USA 2016 |
| 2021 | Kataluna Enriquez | Las Vegas | 27 | Miss Silver State | | | First openly transgender woman to compete at Miss USA. |
| 2020 | Victoria Olona | Henderson | 27 | Miss Paradise | Top 16 | | Winner of the Fan Vote at Miss USA 2020 |
| 2019 | Tianna Tuamoheloa | North Las Vegas | 25 | Miss Silver State | Top 5 | | |
| 2018 | Carolina Urrea | Sunrise Manor | 23 | Miss Paradise | 2nd runner-up | | Contestant on Nuestra Belleza Latina season 7 |
| 2017 | Lauren York | Primm | 22 | Miss North Las Vegas | | | |
| 2016 | Emelina Adams | Anthem | 23 | Miss Henderson | | | 1st runner-up Miss Arizona USA 2015 |
| 2015 | Brittany McGowan | Spring Valley | 24 | Miss Chateau | 3rd runner-up | | |
| 2014 | Nia Sanchez | Southern Highlands | 23 | Miss South Las Vegas | Miss USA 2014 | | 1st runner-up at Miss Universe 2014 |
| 2013 | Chelsea Caswell | Summerlin | 23 | Miss West Las Vegas | Top 10 | | |
| 2012 | Jade Kelsall | Las Vegas | 26 | Miss Whitney Ranch | 3rd runner-up | | |
| 2011 | Sarah Chapman | Henderson | 27 | Miss Henderson | | | Sister of Miss California USA 2004 Ellen Chapman |
| 2010 | Julianna Erdesz | Reno | 25 | Miss Reno | | | Previously Miss Nevada 2008 |
| 2009 | Georgina Vaughan | Las Vegas | 20 | Miss Castle Rock | | | Previously Miss Nevada Teen USA 2006. |
| 2008 | Veronica Grabowski | Henderson | 23 | | | | |
| 2007 | Helen Salas | Las Vegas | 21 | | 4th runner-up | | Originally first runner-up, assumed the title after Katie Rees was stripped of her crown Previously Miss Nevada Teen USA 2004 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2004 |
| 2007 | Katie Rees | Las Vegas | 22 | | did not compete | did not compete | Stripped of the title on December 21, 2006, due to inappropriate photographs. |
| 2006 | Lauren Scyphers | Gardnerville | 20 | | Top 15 | | |
| 2005 | Shivonn Geeb | Las Vegas | 25 | | | | Originally first runner-up, assumed the title after Sloan Bailey's resignation |
| 2005 | Sloan Bailey | Las Vegas | | | did not compete | did not compete | Resigned in January 2005 for personal reasons. |
| 2004 | Victoria Franklin | Las Vegas | 20 | | | | Previously Miss Nevada Teen USA 1998 2nd runner up in Miss Teen USA 1998 |
| 2003 | Ashley Huff | Henderson | 22 | | | | Previously Miss Nevada 2001 |
| 2002 | Jenny Valdez | Las Vegas | | | | | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2000 & 2001 |
| 2001 | Gina Giacinto | Las Vegas | 26 | | Top 5 | | Previously Miss Nevada 1999 |
| 2000 | Alicia Carnes | Las Vegas | | | | | Previously Miss Nevada Teen USA 1995 |
| 1999 | Shaynee Smith | Las Vegas | 23 | | | | |
| 1998 | Tammie Rankin | Las Vegas | | | | | Previously Miss Nevada Teen USA 1993 |
| 1997 | Ninya Perna | Green Valley | 23 | | | | |
| 1996 | Alisa Castillo | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1995 | Brook Hammon | Las Vegas | | | | | Previously Miss Nevada Teen USA 1991 |
| 1994 | Angela Lambert | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1993 | Alexis Oliver | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1992 | Alesia Prentiss | Las Vegas | | | | Miss Congeniality | |
| 1991 | Jodi Jensen | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1990 | Michele Yegge | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1989 | Janu Tornell | Las Vegas | | | | | Contestant on Survivor: Palau |
| 1988 | Lagracella Omran | Las Vegas | 20 | | | Best State Costume | |
| 1987 | Tammy Perkins | Las Vegas | 21 | | Semi-finalist, Finishing in 8th Place | | |
| 1986 | LeAnna Grant | Las Vegas | | | | | Previously Miss Nevada 1984 |
| 1985 | Alicia Berger | Las Vegas | | | | | Host of Access Hollywood, judge of Miss USA 2009 pageant |
| 1984 | Donna Lee McNeil | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1983 | Christa Lane Daniel | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist, Finishing in 7th Place | | |
| 1982 | Andrea Pennington | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1981 | Mary Lebsock | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1980 | Kimberlee Guider | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1979 | Aleasha Magleby | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1978 | Dawn Jameson | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1977 | Mary O'Neal Contino | Las Vegas | | | 1st runner-up | | Played lead role in Australian television series Chuck Finn |
| 1976 | Janice Carrell | Las Vegas | | | | | Represented Nevada at the 1975 Miss World USA pageant |
| 1975 | Madonna Allison | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1974 | Linda Dryden | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1973 | Laura Fritz | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1972 | Tracey Lynn Whitney | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1971 | Anita Laurie | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1970 | Sheri Schruhl | Las Vegas | | | 2nd runner-up | | |
| 1969 | Karen Esslinger | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1968 | Kathy Landry | Las Vegas | | | 2nd runner-up | | |
| 1967 | Jacqueline Moore | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1966 | Mary Martin | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1965 | Denyse Turner | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1965 | Bunny Baxter | Las Vegas | | | | | Resigned |
| 1964 | Pamela Diane Morris | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1963 | Kathee Francis | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1962 | Janet Hadland | Las Vegas | | | 4th runner-up | | |
| 1961 | Karen Weller | Las Vegas | | | 2nd runner-up | | |
| 1960 | Did Not Compete | | | | | | |
| 1959 | Joy Blaine | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1958 | Terry Jeffers | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1957 | Joan Adams | Las Vegas | | | 2nd runner-up | | She finished as 3rd runner-up, but succeeded to 2nd runner-up when the 2nd runner-up took the place of the 1st runner-up |
| 1956 | Marley Sanderson | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1955 | Did Not Compete | | | | | | |
| 1954 | Mary Jane Arnold | Las Vegas | | | | | |
| 1953 | Earlene Whitt | Las Vegas | | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1952 | Barbara Jean Clark | Las Vegas | | | | | |
$^1$ Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant