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The Miss Minnesota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss USA pageant. It is directed by Future Productions based in Savage, Minnesota since its inception in 1995, which also directs the state pageants for Colorado, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Barbara Elaine Peterson was the first Miss Minnesota USA to be crowned Miss USA (in 1976), and was also the first Miss USA to not place in the Miss Universe pageant. Her sister, Polly Peterson Bowles, was Miss Minnesota USA 1981.

In 2016, Halima Aden became the first contestant to compete wearing a burkini, and the first to wear a hijab the entire time. In 2017, Mikayla Holmgren was the first woman with Down syndrome to compete in a statewide Miss USA pageant.

The current titleholder is Muna Ali of Saint Paul was crowned on June 23, 2024, at Ames Center in Burnsville. She will represent Minnesota at Miss USA 2024.

Gallery of titleholders

• Barbara Peterson, Miss Minnesota USA 1976 & Miss USA 1976
• Kaylee Unverzagt, Miss Minnesota USA 2008
• Kalie Wright, Miss Minnesota USA 2018

Results summary

Placements

• Miss USA: Barbara Peterson (1976)
• 2nd runners-up: Deborah Cossette (1977), Meridith Gould (2017)
• 3rd runners-up: Lanore Van Buren (2002)
• 4th runners-up: Kari Lee Johnson (1985)
• Top 6: Angelique de Maison (1995)
• Top 10/12: Jodell Stirmlinger (1952), Carla Reid Peterson (1980), Jolene Stavrakis (1994), Madeline Helget (2022)
• Top 15/19/20: Mary Ann Papke (1953), Dawn Joyce (1954), Kaylee Unverzagt (2008), Erica Nego (2009), Haley O'Brien (2014), Cat Stanley (2019)

Minnesota holds a record of 16 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

• Miss Congeniality: Elizabeth Jane Carroll (1965), Janet Tveita (1990), Dottie Cannon (2006), Amber Davis (2020)
• Miss Photogenic: Paige Swenson (2000), Sarah Cahill (2003)

Winners

Color key

•   Declared as Winner
•   Ended as runner-up
•   Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists

Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant
Contestant resigned title before the Miss USA pageant

References

1. "Future Productions, LLC State Directors". Retrieved 8 February 2017.
2. Furst, Randy (1988-02-11). "3rd Miss Minnesota-USA has 'nothing to hide'". Star-Tribune Newspaper of the Twin Cities Mpls.-St. Paul. p. 01A.
3. "Halima Aden Breaks Ground as First Somali-American to Compete for Miss Minnesota USA". 17 November 2016.
4. ^ Divine, Mary (November 27, 2017). "Standing ovations for first woman with Down syndrome to compete in Miss Minnesota USA". Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
5. Dunlap, Tetona (September 7, 2014). "Your Neighbor: The Kimberly Woman Crowned Miss National Sweetheart". Times-News. Twin Falls, ID: Lee Enterprises.
6. "Kimberly Native Crowned 'Miss Idaho'". magicvalley.com. June 23, 2015.
7. Francis, Delma (2006-04-17). "Ambition takes local woman to Baltimore; Miss Minnesota USA, Dottie Cannon of Eagan, is competing Friday in the Miss USA pageant". Star-Tribune. p. 10E.
8. "New Miss Minnesota-USA, Miss Minnesota Teen USA crowned" (Press release). Associated Press. 1998-11-30.
9. Freeborn, Dan (1992-11-19). "She's got her cap set for an education // 'No. 1 priority is school,' says Miss Minnesota USA". Star-Tribune Newspaper of the Twin Cities Mpls.-St. Paul. p. 07B.

External links

• Official website
• Miss Minnesota-USA 2009 Official Website

• Miss USA state pageants
• Minnesota culture
• Women in Minnesota
• Recurring events established in 1952
• Annual events in Minnesota
• 1952 establishments in Minnesota