Miss Florida USA
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Formation | 1952 |
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Type | Beauty pageant |
Headquarters | Hollywood |
Location | |
Membership | Miss USA |
Official language | English |
Website | Official website |
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss USA pageant.
Up until the 2017 pageant, both Miss and Teen state pageants were held separately in different months. In recent years, the organization was decided that both pageants would compete at the same time from 2018 onwards, just like the most of state pageants in the Miss USA system.
While Florida has had number of runners-up, finalists, and semi-finalists, the state has yet to win the Miss USA title. Although Cheryl Patton, who placed 2nd runner-up in Miss USA 1967, became Miss USA after Sylvia Hitchcock won Miss Universe. The most recent placement was Caroline Dixon who placed Top 20 in 2023.
Two former Miss Florida Teen USA titleholders have won this competition, and five titleholders have also competed at Miss America.
In 2019, contestant Madison Anderson (who finished first runner-up in that pageant) would go on to become Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2019, and then competed in Miss Universe 2019, placed first runner-up to Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa.[1] On 11 August 2022, contestant Ashley Cariño (who finished second runner-up at Miss USA 2021) was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 and represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2022, ultimately placing in the Top 5
The current titleholder is Peyton Lewis of Orlando and was crowned on July 7, 2024 at the Coral Springs Center For The Arts in Coral Springs. She will represent Florida at Miss USA 2024.
Gallery of titleholders
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Julie Donaldson, Miss Florida USA 2001
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Kristen Berset, Miss Florida USA 2004
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Melissa Witek, Miss Florida USA 2005
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Jenna Edwards, Miss Florida USA 2007
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Jessica Rafalowski, Miss Florida USA 2008
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Megan Clementi, Miss Florida USA 2010
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Génesis Dávila, Miss Florida USA 2018
Results summary
Placements
- 1st runners-up: Marcia Valibus (1958), Clo Cabrera (1987)
- 2nd runners-up: Nanita Greene (1959), Cheryl Patton (1967),[a] Barbara Bowser (1980), Ashley Cariño (2021)
- 3rd runners-up: Connie Ensor (1972), Mary-Margaret Humes (1975), Monica Farrell (1988)
- 4th runners-up: Nancy Wakefield (1960), Randy Beard (1966), Melissa Witek (2005), Cristin Duren (2006), Brittany Oldehoff (2014)
- Top 5/6: Shannon Depuy (1995), Angelia Savage (1997), Génesis Dávila (2018)
- Top 10/12: Susan Aileen Deaton (1971), Stacy Evans (1973), Cynthia Zach (1974), April Shaw (1978), Kristen Berset (2004), Jessica Rafalowski (2008), Nicolette Jennings (2019)
- Top 15/16/20: Kay Duggar (1953), Mariles Gessler (1955), Maria Junquera (1969), Cheryl Johnson (1970), Lissette Garcia (2011), Caroline Dixon (2023)
Florida holds a record of 30 placements at Miss USA.
Awards
- Miss Photogenic: Shannon Ford (2002), Cristin Duren (2006)
- Miss Congeniality: Linda LeFevre (1977)
- Best State Costume: Nancy England (1963)
Winners
- Color key
- Declared as Winner
- Ended as runner-up or finalist
- Ended as one of the semifinalists
Year | Name | Hometown | Age[b] | Local title | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
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2024 | Peyton Lewis | Orlando | 26 | Miss Lake Nona | |||
2023 | Caroline Dixon | Palm Harbor | 25 | Miss Palm Harbor | Top 20 | ||
2022 | Taylor Fulford | Okeechobee | 27 | Miss Okeechobee | |||
2021 | Ashley Cariño[2] | Kissimmee | 26 | Miss South Kissimmee | 2nd runner-up |
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2020 | Monique Evans | Naples | 28 | Miss South Naples |
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2019 | Nicolette Jennings[3] | Clearwater | 22 | Miss Clearwater Beach | Top 10 | ||
2018 | Génesis Dávila | Miami | 27 | Miss Miami | Top 5 |
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2017 | Linette De Los Santos | Sunny Isles Beach | 24 | Miss Sunny Isles Beach |
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Génesis Dávila | Miami | 25 | Miss Miami Beach | did not compete |
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2016 | Brie Gabrielle | Palm Beach | 25 | Miss Palm Beach | |||
2015 | Ashleigh Lollie | Grand Ridge | 25 | Miss Emerald Coast | |||
2014 | Brittany Oldehoff | Fort Lauderdale | 24 | Miss Fort Lauderdale | 4th Runner-Up |
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2013 | Michelle Aguirre[5] | Hialeah | 20 | Miss Broward County Fair | |||
2012 | Karina Brez[6] | Wellington | 23 | Miss South Florida | Born in Ukraine | ||
2011 | Lissette Garcia | Miami | 25 | Miss Miami Tropic | Top 16 Semi-finalist |
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2010 | Megan Clementi[7] | Orlando | 25 | Miss South Miami | Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2006 | ||
2009 | Anastagia Pierre | Plantation | 20 | Miss Plantation |
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2008 | Jessica Rafalowski | DeLand | 21 | Miss Volusia County | Top 10 Finalist, Finishing in 8th Place |
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2007 | Jenna Edwards | North Miami | 25 | Miss North Miami |
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2006 | Cristin Leigh Duren | Panama City | 24 | Miss Emerald Coast | 4th runner-up | Miss Photogenic |
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2005 | Melissa Witek | Cocoa Beach | 24 | Miss Florida Panhandle | 4th runner-up | Contestant on NBC's Treasure Hunters | |
2004 | Kristen Berset | St. Petersburg | 22 | Miss Central Florida | Top 10 Finalist, Finishing in 7th Place | ||
2003 | Carrie Ann Mewha | Fort Lauderdale | 24 | Miss Broward | |||
2002 | Shannon Ford | Miami | 25 | Miss Miami | Miss Photogenic | Miami Dolphins NFL Cheerleader and a contestant on the third season of The Bachelor | |
2001 | Julie Donaldson | Ponte Vedra Beach | 23 | Miss Ponte Vedra Beach | Hired as the NFL's first female team broadcaster in 2020 for the Washington Football Team | ||
2000 | Kristin Ludecke | Eustis | 23 | Miss Eustis | Style Award |
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1999 | Melissa Quesada | Tampa |
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1998 | Jamie Converse | Gainesville |
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1997 | Angelia Savage | Jacksonville | 25 | Top 6 Finalist, Finishing in 4th Place | |||
1996 | Idalmis Vidal | Miami | 21 | ||||
1995 | Shannon Depuy | Tallahassee | 24 | Top 6 Finalist, Finishing in 4th Place |
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1994 | Cynthia Redding | Deltona | |||||
1993 | Shakeela Gajadha | Coral Gables | |||||
1992 | Sharon Belden | Coral Gables |
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1991 | Rosa Velilla | Miami | |||||
1990 | Tricia Hahn | Panama City | |||||
1989 | Jennifer Parker | Tallahassee | 17 | ||||
1988 | Monica Farrell | Jacksonville | 3rd runner-up |
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1987 | Clotilde Helen Cabrera | Tampa | 22 | 1st runner-up |
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1986 | Kathy Rosenwinkel | Orlando | |||||
1985 | Barbi Losh | North Miami Beach | |||||
1984 | Stacy Hassfurder | Tallahassee | |||||
1983 | Janet Chesser | Daytona Beach | |||||
1982 | Lisa Smith | Margate |
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1981 | Valerie Lundeen | Miami | Valerie Lundeen Ely, 62, married to "Tarzan" actor Ron Ely, was murdered by their son Cameron Ely at their Southern California home on Oct. 15, 2019. | ||||
1980 | Barbara Bowser | Miami | 2nd runner-up | ||||
1979 | Penny Sheridan | Merritt Island | |||||
1978 | April Shaw | Lakeland | Semi-finalist | ||||
1977 | Linda LeFevre | Gainesville | Miss Congeniality | ||||
1976 | Leigh Walsh | Coral Gables | |||||
1975 | Mary-Margaret Humes | Coral Gables | 3rd runner-up | actress best known for playing Gail Leery on the television drama Dawson's Creek. | |||
1974 | Cynthia Zach | Miami | Semi-finalist | ||||
1973 | Stacy Evans | Daytona Beach | Semi-finalist | ||||
1972 | Coni Ensor | Miami | 3rd runner-up | ||||
1971 | Susan Deaton | Jacksonville | Semi-finalist | ||||
1970 | Cheryl Johnson | Orlando | Semi-finalist | Mother of Miss Florida USA 2000 Kristin Ludecke,[8] Previously crowned Miss Dixie 1967. | |||
1969 | Maria Junquera | Plant City | Semi-finalist | ||||
1968 | Leslie Bauer | New Port Richey | |||||
1967 | Cheryl Patton | North Miami Beach | 2nd runner-up |
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1966 | Randy Beard | Cypress Gardens | 4th runner-up | ||||
1965 | Karol Kelly | Zephyrhills | semifinalist in Miss American Beauty 1967, title of usa rep to Miss International pageant | ||||
1964 | Candace Davenport | ||||||
1963 | Linda Egland[10][11] | South Miami | 18 | Best State Costume | |||
1962 | Sharon Conrad | ||||||
1961 | Peggy Defreitas | ||||||
1960 | Nancy Wakefield | 4th runner-up | |||||
1959 | Nanita Greene | 2nd runner-up | |||||
1958 | Marcia Valibus | 1st runner-up | Competed in the 1958 Miss Dixie Pageant | ||||
1957 | Deanie Cates | ||||||
1956 | Kim Meyer | ||||||
1955 | Mariles Gessler | Semi-finalist | |||||
1954 | Rosemary Talucci | ||||||
1953 | Kay Duggar | Semi-finalist | Competed as "Miss Miami Beach" instead of Miss Florida USA. | ||||
1952 | Yvonne Peairs |
Notes
- ^ Cheryl Patton was 2nd runner-up at Miss USA, but succeeded to the Miss USA title when Sylvia Hitchcock became Miss Universe.
- ^ Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant
References
- ^ Marcial Ocasio, Jennifer; Cotto, Ingrid (June 14, 2019). "Miss Puerto Rico winner grew up in Florida and doesn't speak fluent Spanish. She says she represents a 'new generation.'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
- ^ "Joven boricua de Kissimmee gana la corona de Miss Florida USA" [Young Puerto Rican from Kissimmee has crowned Miss Florida USA] (in Spanish). WTMO-CD. July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ Wagner, Sue (2019-01-22). "CJC Alum Crowned Miss Florida USA 2019". UF College of Journalism and Communications. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "Miss Florida USA 2017 Génesis Dávila is dethroned!". pageantsnews.com. Pageants News. 22 July 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Writer, Staff. "Hialeah native Michelle Aguirre crowned Miss Florida". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "Wellington's Karina Brez crowned new Miss Florida USA". The Palm Beach Post. July 16, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
- ^ "Magic dancer Megan Clementi wins Miss Florida USA". Orlando Sentinel. 2009-07-21.
- ^ a b "Mother and daughter were Miss Florida 30 years apart". Associated Press. 2000-07-14.
- ^ "2007 Mrs America". Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Conquers Florida, Aims for Universe". The Miami Herald. 7 July 1963. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "South Miami Lovely Voted Miss Florida". The Miami News. 7 July 1963. Retrieved 20 May 2023.