# Miss North Carolina USA

The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group since 1992.
In 2005, Miss North Carolina USA Chelsea Cooley won the Miss USA crown and placed in the top 10 at Miss Universe. Cooley is the first former Miss North Carolina Teen USA to win the Miss title, although not the first to have competed at Miss Teen USA. The second Miss North Carolina Teen USA to win the Miss title was Erin O'Kelley in 2007. She went on to place in the top 15 at Miss USA 2007. Similar to the Miss Utah USA titleholders, both Cooley and Kelley placed at Miss USA, eclipsing their teen performances. In 2009, Kristen Dalton became the second woman from North Carolina to be crowned Miss USA. In 2019, Cheslie Kryst became the third woman from the state to win Miss USA. In both occasions, they placed top 10 on their respective Miss Universe pageants. The most recent placement was Jordyn McKey placing Top 20 in 2023.
North Carolina is currently third tied with Idaho in number of former teens have competed in this pageant: eight, after Indiana and Virginia, including three competed at Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia, respectively. In addition, two others have also competed at Miss America.
In 2019 (billed as 2020 pageant), Madeline Delp was the first woman in a wheelchair to win the top 10 finalists in a statewide Miss USA pageant.
McKenzie Hansley of Charlotte was crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2024 on June 15, 2024, at North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center in North Charleston. She will represent North Carolina at Miss USA 2024.

## Gallery of titleholders

* Cheslie Kryst, Miss North Carolina USA 2019 and Miss USA 2019
* Katie Coble, Miss North Carolina USA 2017 and Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2007
* Sydney Perry, Miss North Carolina USA 2012
* Kristen Dalton, Miss North Carolina USA 2009 and Miss USA 2009
* Andrea Duke, Miss North Carolina USA 2008
* Erin O'Kelley, Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2001 and Miss North Carolina USA 2007
* Chelsea Cooley, Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2000, Miss North Carolina USA 2005 and Miss USA 2005

## Results summary
### Placements

* Miss USAs: Chelsea Cooley (2005), Kristen Dalton (2009), Cheslie Kryst (2019)
* 1st runners-up: Caelynn Miller-Keyes (2018), Morgan Romano (2022)
* 2nd runners-up: Constance Ann Dorn (1975), Lynn Jenkins (1994), Ashley Puleo (2004)
* 3rd runners-up: Lyndia Ann Tarlton (1960)
* 4th runners-up: Marcia Burton (1974)
* Top 6/8: Pat Arnold (1991), Madison Bryant (2021)
* Top 10/11/12: Deborah Ann Falls (1972), Dianne Jamerson (1979), Cookie Noak (1984), Rhonda Nobles (1986), Tess Elliott (1992), Ashley Love-Mills (2013)
* Top 15/20: Shirley Bagwell (1956), Erin O'Kelley (2007), Jordyn McKey (2023), Kenzie Hansley (2024)
North Carolina holds a record of 22 placements at Miss USA.

### Awards

* Miss Photogenic: Pat Arnold (1991)
* Miss Congeniality: Vera Morris (1998), Monica Palumbo (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 | McKenzie Hansley | Charlotte | 24 | Miss South Park | Top 20 | | Previously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2017 |
| 2023 | Jordyn McKey | Charlotte | 25 | Miss Uptown | Top 20 | | |
| 2022 | Morgan Romano | Concord | 23 | Miss Queen City | 1st runner-up | | Became Miss USA 2022 after R'Bonney Gabriel became Miss Universe 2022 |
| 2021 | Madison Bryant | Fayetteville | 24 | Miss Metrolina | Top 8 | | |
| 2020 | Jane Axhoj | Waxhaw | 22 | Miss Lake Wylie | | | Previously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2015 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2015 Later New England Patriots Cheerleader |
| 2019 | Laura Little | Charlotte | 23 | Miss Mount Holly | did not compete | did not compete | Originally first runner-up, assumed the title when Cheslie Kryst won Miss USA Charlotte Honey Bees dancer Sister of Courtney Little, Miss Teen North Carolina United States 2017 |
| 2019 | Cheslie Kryst† | Charlotte | 27 | Miss Metrolina | Miss USA 2019 | | Top 10 at Miss Universe 2019 |
| 2018 | Caelynn Miller-Keyes | Asheville | 22 | Miss Asheville | 1st runner-up | | Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 2013 Reality TV contestant on The Bachelor (season 23) and Bachelor in Paradise (season 6) |
| 2017 | Kaitlin "Katie" Coble | Charlotte | 26 | Miss Weddington | | | Previously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2007 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2007 |
| 2016 | Devin Gant | Charlotte | 24 | Miss Harrisburg | | | Originally 1st runner-up, assumed the title after Allie Dunn's resignation and competed in Miss USA |
| 2016 | Allison "Allie" Dunn | Stallings | 21 | Miss Stallings | did not compete | did not compete | Resigned the title a couple of weeks before the Miss USA 2016 pageant due to illness |
| 2015 | Julia Dalton | Wilmington | 23 | Miss Wilmington | | | Previously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2008 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2008 Sister of Kristen Dalton, Miss USA 2009 Daughter of Jeannie Boger, Miss North Carolina USA 1982 |
| 2014 | Olivia Olvera | Fayetteville | 26 | Miss Fayetteville | | | |
| 2013 | Ashley Love-Mills | Raleigh | 24 | Miss Raleigh Durham | Top 10 | | |
| 2012 | Sydney Perry | Wilmington | 21 | Miss Wilmington | | | Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2008 |
| 2011 | Brittany York | Wilmington | 22 | | | |
| 2010 | Nadia Moffett | High Point | 24 | | | | |
| 2009 | Kristen Dalton | Wilmington | 21 | | Miss USA 2009 | | Top 10 at Miss Universe 2009 Sister of Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2008 and Miss North Carolina USA 2015, Julia Dalton Daughter of Miss North Carolina USA 1982, Jeannie Boger 1st runner-up at Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2005 |
| 2008 | Andrea Duke | Hendersonville | 25 | | | | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 |
| 2007 | Erin O'Kelley | Asheville | 21 | | Top 15 | | Previously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2001 |
| 2006 | Samantha Holvey | Buies Creek/ Glenville, WV | 20 | | | | On Oct. 14, 2016 Holvey told CNN that Donald Trump personally inspected each woman prior to the contest |
| 2005 | Chelsea Cooley | Charlotte | 21 | | Miss USA 2005 | | Top 10 at Miss Universe 2005 Previously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2000 Miss United States Teen 2001 1st runner-up at Miss Teen International 2001 |
| 2004 | Ashley Puleo | Pinehurst | 25 | | 2nd runner-up | | Sister of Laura Puleo, Miss Virginia USA 2015 |
| 2003 | Kristen Luneberg | Durham | 22 | | | | Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1998 |
| 2002 | Alison English | Archdale | 22 | | | | |
| 2001 | Monica Palumbo | Charlotte | 19 | | | Miss Congeniality | |
| 2000 | Portia Johnson | Greensboro | 24 | | | | |
| 1999 | Joy Hall | Sanford | 24 | | | | |
| 1998 | Vera Morris | Nashville | 23 | | | Miss Congeniality | |
| 1997 | Crystal McLaurin-Coney | Durham | | | | | |
| 1996 | Jessica McMinn | Tuxedo | | | | | |
| 1995 | Michelle Mauney | Stanley | | | | | Previously Miss North Carolina World 1994 Top 7 finalist in Miss World America 1994 |
| 1994 | Lynn Jenkins | Gastonia | 26 | | 2nd runner-up | | Mother of Juliana Morehouse, Miss Maine USA 2023 |
| 1993 | Christa Tyson | Monroe | | | | | |
| 1992 | Tess Elliott | High Point | 20 | | Top 11 | | Died in a sky-diving accident only weeks after the conclusion of her reign |
| 1991 | Pat Arnold | Chapel Hill | 21 | | Top 6 | Miss Photogenic | |
| 1990 | Altman Allen | Shelby | | | | | |
| 1989 | Jacqueline Padgette | Hobgood | | | | | |
| 1988 | Tammy Tolar | Fayetteville | | | | | |
| 1987 | Donna Wilson | Davidson | | | | | |
| 1986 | Rhonda Nobles | Fayetteville | 20 | | Top 10 | | |
| 1985 | Kate Kenney | Raleigh | | | | | |
| 1984 | Cookie Noak | Hickory | 23 | | Top 10 | | |
| 1983 | Allison Payge Pinson | Mooresville | | | | | |
| 1982 | Jeannie Boger | Sanford | | | | | Mother of Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton (Miss North Carolina USA 2009) and Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2008 Julia Dalton (second runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2008) |
| 1981 | Lisa Swift | Southport | | | | | |
| 1980 | Lori Boggs | Kannapolis | | | | | |
| 1979 | Dianne Jamerson | Asheville | 24 | | Top 12 | | |
| 1978 | Kathryn Norman | Charlotte | | | | | |
| 1977 | Vikki Verbyla | Lenoir | | | | | |
| 1976 | Dianne Bowen | Windsor | | | | | |
| 1975 | Constance Dorn | Kinston | 21 | | 2nd runner-up | | Previously Miss North Carolina 1972 1st runner up to Miss America 1973 |
| 1974 | Marcia Patrice Burton | Hickory | 21 | | 4th runner-up | | |
| 1973 | Vivian Craig | Stanley | | | | | |
| 1972 | Deborah Falls | Vale | 21 | | Top 12 | | |
| 1971 | Mary Rudroff | Wiston-Salem | | | | | |
| 1970 | Susan Bodsford | Ramseur | | | | | |
| 1969 | Faye Bass | Durham | 19 | | | | Received United Artist Special Talent Award |
| 1968 | Kelli Moore | Raleigh | | | | | |
| 1967 | Patti Effron | Jacksonville | | | | | |
| 1966 | Brenda Moye | Fountain | | | | | |
| 1965 | Sandra Farmer | Greensboro | | | | | |
| 1964 | Did not compete | | | | | |
| 1963 | Trudy Cauthen | Newton | | | | | |
| 1962 | Brenda Smith | Charlotte | | | | | |
| 1961 | Marie Clyburn | Charlotte | | | | |
| 1960 | Lyndia Tarlton | Wingate | 19 | | 3rd runner-up | | |
| 1959 | Peggy Brown | Sunbury | | | | |
| 1958 | Carol Edwards | Elizabeth City | | | | | |
| 1957 | Peggy Dennis | Lilesville | | | | | |
| 1956 | Shirley Bagwell | Raleigh | 18 | | Top 15 | | |
| 1955 | Mary Ratliffe | Wadesboro | | | | | |
| 1954 | Ann Pickett | Charlotte | | | | | |
| 1953 | Libby Walker | Wilton | | | | | |
| 1952 | Doris Stanley | Greensboro | | | | | |