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The Miss Pennsylvania USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss USA pageant. It has been previously known as Miss Pennsylvania Universe. This pageant is independently conducted and produced by Proctor Productions based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was produced by Sanders & Associates, Inc., dba- Pageant Associates based in Buckhannon, West Virginia from 2001 to 2020. Since 2020 the pageant based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The annual competition is currently held in Johnstown and has previously been hosted by Harrisburg, Greensburg, Monroeville, and Pittsburgh.

Michele McDonald, Miss USA 1971, is the only woman from Pennsylvania to win the Miss USA title. At just eighteen, she was the youngest competitor ever to win the crown. Their most recent placement came in 2023 when Jasmine Daniels placed 3rd runner-up.

The current titleholder is Noni Diarra of Philadelphia was crowned on June 29, 2024, at Richland Performing Arts Center in Johnstown. She will represent Pennsylvania at Miss USA 2024.

Gallery of titleholders

• Michele McDonald, Miss Pennsylvania USA 1071 & Miss USA 1971
• Kimmarie Johnson, Miss Pennsylvania USA 1993
• Tanya Lehman, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2006
• Lindsey Nelsen, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2009

Results summary

• Miss USA: Michele McDonald (1971)
• 3rd runner-up: Jasmine Daniels (2023)
• 4th runners-up: LauRen Merola (2008)
• Top 6: Kimmarie Johnson (1993)
• Top 10/12: Sandy Dell (1978), Julie Page (1983), Denise Epps (1989), Brenda Brabham (2005)
• Top 15/16/20: Jeri Bauer (1953), Margaret Lineman (1962), Barbara Ann Woronko (1967), Gina Cerilli (2010), Jessica Billings (2013), Valerie Gatto (2014), Kailyn Marie Perez (2019)

Pennsylvania holds a record of 15 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

• Best State Costume: Julie Page (1983)
• Best in Swimsuit: Barbara Ann Woronko (1967)
• Best in Evening Gown: Jasmine Daniels (2023)
• Miss Photogenic: Sydney Robertson (2021)

Winners

Color key

•   Winner
•   Runner-up or Finalist
•   Semifinalist

Notes

1. Age at the time of the crowning

References

1. ^ "Miss Pennsylvania Pageant to be Held in Harrisburg". The Daily Notes. 9 March 1967. p. 3.
2. "Who We Are: Pageant Associates". Miss Pennsylvania USA® & Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA®. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
3. ^ "Deadline Set for Miss PA USA Entrants". The Titusville Herald. 7 December 1993. p. 7.
4. "Deadline Set for Pageant Applications". The Daily News. 22 November 1980. p. 12.
5. "First push from mother helps teen-age winner". The Manhattan Mercury. 24 May 1971.
6. Koteski, Rena Lynn (3 July 1971). "'I still feel the same', Michelle: Miss Saxonburg to Miss USA". North Hills News Record.
7. "Williamsport Native named Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA 2014". Williamsport Sun Gazette. January 19, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
8. Larussa, Tony (September 23, 2015). "North Huntingdon's Piekut wins international title". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
9. ^ "Pittsburgh-Area Natives Named Miss Pa. USA, Miss Pa. Teen USA". CBS Pittsburgh. 3 December 2017.
10. McDermott, Maeve (5 June 2016). "This Miss USA contestant overcame losing her hearing to compete for the crown". USA Today.
11. ^ Wiggin, Sally (December 7, 2015). "4 the 412 team member Elena LaQuatra wins Miss Pennsylvania USA". WTAE News. As a teenager, she won Miss Pennsylvania Outstanding Teen, a pageant that is part of the Miss America system. LaQuatra finished as second runner-up in the national contest.
12. Niederberger, Mary (2007-07-26). "Deaf teen tapping her way to fame". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
13. Zapf, Karen (2007-08-02). "East Young Achiever: Elena LaQuatra". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Archived from the original on 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
14. Pennello, Toni (December 24, 2015). "Elena LaQuatra is the new Miss Pennsylvania USA". The Almanac.
15. Ganster, Kathleen (8 January 2015). "Resume: A newsmaker you should know / Hampton alumnae Elizabeth Cardillo named Miss Pennsylvania USA". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
16. ^ Glover, Sarah (8 June 2014). "Miss Pennsylvania USA Says She's a Product of Rape". NBC Pittsburgh.
17. Krupnick, Ellie (2012-06-05). "Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012 Resigns Over Alleged Pageant Fraud". Huffington Post.
18. ^ McAndrew, Meghan (14 March 1997). "Miss Pennsylvania USA Entered Pageant on a Whim". Indiana Gazette.
19. ^ Opalka, William (9 February 1990). "Crowning Glory: Pitt student set for Miss USA pageant". News Record. p. 1.
20. "Ross model wins state pageant". North Hills News Record. 14 March 1989.
21. "Miss Pennsylvania-USA selected". The Harrisburg Patriot. 1988-03-07. p. B3.
22. ^ Fricker, Dan (16 April 1988). "Giving IUP Friend a Ride Leads to Beauty Title". Indiana Gazette.
23. ^ "Lansdale coed new Miss PA". Indiana Gazette. 6 April 1987. p. 8.
24. Stefanik, Regis M. (March 11, 1985). "Senior here wins beauty pageant". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 5. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
25. Novakovich, Lilana (1988-03-14). "Ex-teen queen looks like Ivory gal". The Toronto Star. p. C8.
26. Bianco, Robert (June 19, 1987). "If children's TV turns you off, try 'Kids America' on radio". The Pittsburgh Press. p. D7. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
27. ^ "Miss Pennsylvania Crowned". The Gettysburg Times. 7 March 1983. p. 10.
28. "Belle Vernon teen wins Miss Pennsylvania title". Indiana Gazette. 7 March 1983. p. 27.
29. ^ "Rosa wins beauty pageant". The Gettysburg Times. 1 March 1982. p. 13.
30. ^ "Miss Pennsylvania USA Leads Exercise Program and Models". Indiana Evening Gazette. 5 May 1981.
31. ^ "Dancer becomes Miss PA". Indiana Evening Gazette. 4 March 1980. p. 4.
32. Bryant, Jean (1998-09-22). "Connellsville Beauty Queen weds Fabian". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. G1.
33. ^ "State police typist wins Miss Pennsylvania pageant". Indiana Evening Gazette. 6 March 1979.
34. ^ "New Miss Pennsylvania chosen from 77 contestants". The Kane Republican. 6 March 1978. p. 7.
35. ^ "Pitt coed wins Queen contest". The Oil City Derrick. 29 April 1968.
36. ^ "Delegate from Pennsylvania". The Morning Call. 9 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 31 July 2023.

External links

• Official website

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