| Miss New Jersey | |
| Formation: | 1921 |
| Type: | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters: | Newark |
| Location: | New Jersey |
| Membership: | Miss America |
| Language: | English |
| Website: | Miss New Jersey official website |
The Miss New Jersey competition is an annual pageant held to select the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss America pageant.
Two Miss New Jersey winners have gone on to hold the title of Miss America: Bette Cooper who won in 1937 and Suzette Charles who did not win, but took over the title for the last 7 weeks of Vanessa Williams's reign in 1984. They also have one unofficial Miss America: Dorothy Hann (1932).
In the fall of 2018, the Miss America Organization terminated the Miss New Jersey organization's license as well as licenses from Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia.[1] [2] On December 26, 2018; MAO reinstated the license for the Miss New Jersey organization for one year, contingent on leadership changes and the recruitment of new sponsors and board members.[3]
Elizabeth Mendel was crowned Miss New Jersey 2024 on June 8, 2024, at the Superstar Theater in the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss New Jersey titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Elizabeth Mendel | 22 | Miss South Jersey | TBA | TBA | TBA | ||
| 2023 | Victoria Mozitis | Northfield | 22 | Miss Cape Shores | Musical Theater Vocal | |||
| 2022 | Augostina Mallous | Cape May Court House | 20 | Miss Southern Maritime | Acrobatic Dance | Previously Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen 2017 | ||
| 2021 | Alyssa Marie Sullivan[4] | 25 | Miss Seashore Line | Vocal | Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative 2nd runner-up | |||
| 2019–20 | Jade Glab[5] | Belmar | 19 | Miss Central Jersey Beaches | Classical Vocal, “O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi | Top 15[6] | Preliminary On Stage Interview Award[7] | Later Miss DC World America 2023 (2RU at Miss World America 2023)[8] |
| 2018 | Jaime Gialloreto[9] | Woolwich Township | 18 | Miss South Shore | Contemporary Jazz Dance, "Natural Woman" | Quality of Life Award Finalist[10] | Later Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader[11] | |
| 2017 | Kaitlyn Schoeffel[12] | Egg Harbor Township | 24 | Miss Eastern Shore | Dance, “SHUT UP + DANCE” | 2nd runner-up[13] | Previously Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen 2007[14] | |
| 2016 | Brenna Weick[15] | Mantua Township | 22 | Miss Seashore Line | Vocal | Previously Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen 2009[16] 1st runner-up at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2010 pageant[17] Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2013 pageant | ||
| 2015 | Lindsey Giannini[18] | Hammonton | 21 | Miss Central Coast | Jazz Dance, "Celebrate" by Pitbull | Quality of Life Award | ||
| 2014 | Cierra Kaler-Jones[19] | Galloway | 21 | Miss Coastal Shore | Dance, "Listen" by Beyoncé | |||
| 2013 | Cara McCollum[20] | Princeton | 21 | Miss Island Resort | Piano, "White Water Chopsticks" | Died on February 22, 2016, after being in a single-vehicle accident a week prior[21] | ||
| 2012 | Lindsey Petrosh[22] | Egg Harbor City | 23 | Miss Atlantic County | Vocal, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" | Previously Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen 2006[23] | ||
| 2011 | Katharyn Nicolle[24] | Wenonah | 20 | Miss Coastal Shore | Ballet en Pointe, "Theme from Superman" | Previously Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen 2008[25] | ||
| 2010 | Ashleigh Udalovas[26] | Millville | 22 | Miss All State | Tap Dance, "Star Dancer" | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2007 & 2008 pageants | |
| 2009 | Ashley Shaffer[27] | Perrineville | 23 | Miss Columbus Day | Classical Vocal, "Nessun Dorma" | |||
| 2008 | Ashley Fairfield | Egg Harbor Township | 22 | Jazz Dance, "Man of La Mancha" | ||||
| 2007 | Amy Polumbo[28] | Howell | 23 | Miss Seashore Line | Vocal, "Astonishing" from Little Women | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 2006 | Georgine DiMaria | Lodi | 22 | Miss All State | Violin, "Csárdás" by Vittorio Monti | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2004 pageant. Georgine M. DiMaria died at home in Lodi, N.J. at age 37 on August 28, 2021. | ||
| 2005 | Julie Robenhymer[29] | Moorestown | 24 | Miss Burlington County | Dance, "Hit Me With a Hot Note" from Sophisticated Ladies | |||
| 2004 | Erica Scanlon | Pitman | 22 | Miss Brigantine Resort | Vocal, "Glitter & Be Gay" from Candide | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 2003 | Jennifer Farrell | Margate | 19 | Miss Atlantic County | Ballet en Pointe, "Via Dolorosa" | Top 15 | ||
| 2002 | Alicia Luciano | Stanhope | 19 | Miss Tri County | Lyrical Dance, "The Prayer" | Overall Elegance and Lifestyle Award Preliminary Evening Wear Award | Former Radio City Rockette[30] | |
| 2001 | Julie Barber | Vineland | 24 | Miss Union County | Ballet en Pointe, "Do You Wanna Dance?" | |||
| 2000 | Jill Horner | Gloucester Township | 21 | Miss Monmouth County Area | Vocal, "You're Gonna Hear From Me" from Inside Daisy Clover | Top 10 | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | |
| 1999 | Victoria Paige | Sparta | 20 | Miss Watchung Valley | Classical Vocal, "Non so più cosa son" from The Marriage of Figaro | Top 10 | ||
| 1998 | Stephanie Ferrari | Glen Rock | 24 | Miss Bergen County | Vocal, "My Heart Will Go On" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1997 | Kathy Nejat | Voorhees | 21 | Miss Central Coast | Classical Ballet en Pointe, "The Dying Swan" | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Swimsuit Award | ||
| 1996 | Melanie Bell | Vernon | 20 | Miss Northern Lights | Dance, "They Can't Take That Away From Me" | |||
| 1995 | Dena Querubin | Waterford | 23 | Miss Spring Lake Heights | Classical Piano | Non-finalist Talent Award Quality of Life Award | Now known as Dena Blizzard, comedienne and often host of Miss America preliminary competition[31] | |
| 1994 | Jennifer Makris | Cherry Hill | 21 | Miss Essex County | Jazz Vocal, "The Man that Got Away" | 2nd runner-up | Later Miss New Jersey USA 1997 Top 10 at Miss USA 1997 pageant | |
| 1993 | Michele Sexton | Spring Lake Heights | 24 | Miss Central Coast | Classical Vocal, "Vissi d'arte" | Top 10 | ||
| 1992 | Heather Hertling | Randolph | 24 | Miss Morris County | Classical Vocal, "Ernani Involami" | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award | Judge at the Miss America 1997 pageant | |
| 1991 | Amy Fissel | Ocean City | 24 | Miss Shore Resort | Comedic Monologue, "Mountaineer's Motorcycle" | Later Miss New Jersey USA 1993 Top 6 at Miss USA 1993 pageant | ||
| 1990 | Lynette Falls | Ridgewood | 25 | Miss Camden County | Classical Piano, "4th Movement of Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 22" by Alberto Ginastera | Mother of Miss Louisiana 2017, Laryssa Bonacquisti[32] | ||
| 1989 | Laura Murray | Livingston | 25 | Miss Shore Resort | Popular Vocal, "With One More Look At You" from A Star Is Born | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1988 | Patricia Bowman | Ocean City | 19 | Miss Cape May County | Vocal, "Wind Beneath My Wings" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1987 | Robin Lange | Medford | 22 | Miss Burlington County | Dramatic Monologue | |||
| 1986 | Karyn Zosche | Pine Brook | 25 | Miss Passaic County | Piano, Rhapsody in Blue | |||
| 1985 | Toni Georgiana | Cherry Hill | 21 | Miss Mercer County | Acrobatic Dance, "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" | |||
| 1984 | Patricia La Terra | West New York | 24 | Miss Bergen County | Dramatic Monologue | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1983 | Suzette Charles | Mays Landing | 20 | Miss Columbus Day | Popular Vocal, "Kiss Me In the Rain" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | Named Miss America when Vanessa Williams relinquished title[33] [34] |
| 1982 | Christina Criscione | Pequannock | 22 | Miss Dover-Morris | Classical Vocal, "Non Piu Mesta" from La Cenerentola | |||
| 1981 | Debra Naley | Rockaway | 26 | Miss Greater Dover-West Morris | Violin Medley, "Csárdás" & "Orange Blossom Special" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1980 | Therese Hanley | Jersey City | 17 | Miss Bergen County | Popular Vocal, "Starting Here, Starting Now" | 2nd runner-up (tie) | ||
| 1979 | Mary McGinnis | Somers Point | 22 | Miss Collegiate | Clarinet, "Hora" | |||
| 1978 | Laurie Berchtold | Ocean City | 21 | Miss Glassboro State College | Vocal, "Money, Money" from Cabaret | |||
| 1977 | Mary D'Arcy | Yardville | 21 | Miss Glassboro State College | Semi-classical Vocal, "Summertime" | 3rd runner-up | Judge at the Miss America 1991 pageant | |
| 1976 | Lori Johnson | Medford | 19 | Miss Burlington County | Acrobatic Dance, "Love Is the Answer" | |||
| 1975 | Nancy Craig | Trenton | 25 | Miss Trenton State College | Classical Ballet en Pointe, Swan Lake | |||
| 1974 | Elizabeth Bracken | Mahwah | 21 | Miss Bergen County | Dramatic monologue, "Elizabeth Umpstead" by Carl Sandburg | |||
| 1973 | Suzanne Plummer | Wildwood | 21 | Miss Cape May County | Piano, "Stardust" | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Previously Miss District of Columbia USA 1971 Top 12 at Miss USA 1971 pageant Former leader of Nevada State Republican Party and 2010 Senate Candidate |
| 1972 | Linda Gialanella | Maplewood | 22 | Miss Fanwood-Scotch Plains | Sketching Presentation, "Teaching the World to Draw" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1971 | Lynn Hackerman | Mount Laurel | 18 | Miss Greater Moorestown & Miss Burlington County | Pantomime Dance | Formerly served on the Miss America Board of Directors with Sam Haskell[35] | ||
| 1970 | Hela Yungst | Hillside | 20 | Miss Fanwood-Scotch Plains | Dramatic Vocal, "Aldonza" from Man of La Mancha | |||
| 1969 | Cheryl Carter | Matawan | 19 | Miss Monmouth County | Piano, Theme from An Affair to Remember | 2nd runner-up (tie) | ||
| 1968 | Jeannette Phillipuk | Laurel Springs | 20 | Miss Glassboro State College | Vocal Medley, "The Sweetest Sounds" & "Nobody Told Me" from No Strings | |||
| 1967 | Linda Ann Wilmer | 18 | Classical Vocal, "Quando m'en vò" from La bohème | |||||
| 1966 | Christine Ebright | Rahway | 19 | Miss Newark State College | Operatic Vocal, "Un bel di vedremo" | |||
| 1965 | Kathleen Holmes | Toms River | 19 | Miss Toms River | Vocal / Tap Dance, "Steppin' Out with My Baby" | |||
| 1964 | Susan Krasnomowitz | Fair Lawn | 19 | Miss Paterson | Jazz Dance | |||
| 1963 | Janet Bryan Adams | Hopatcong | Miss Pequannock | Dramatic Monologue | ||||
| 1962 | Georgia Malick | Cherry Hill | 18 | Miss Cherry Hill | Piano, "Deep Purple" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1961 | Marilyn Haufler | Watchung | 18 | Miss Fanwood-Scotch Plains | Comedic Monologue | |||
| 1960 | Ann Barber | Westfield | 18 | |||||
| 1959 | Beverly Ann Domareki | Mountainside | 20 | Original Dramatic Interpretation of a Beatnik | ||||
| 1958 | Marilyn Beryl Rockafellow | New Monmouth | 19 | Vocal | Non-finalist Talent Award | |||
| 1957 | Janet Ressler | Union | Vocal | |||||
| 1956 | Beverly Cass | Fair Lawn | Piano | |||||
| 1955 | Patricia Campbell | Camden | Dance | |||||
| 1954 | Sally Joan Waller | West Orange | Vocal / Dance, "Singin' in the Rain" | Sally Joan "Joni" Waller Jaeger died at age 87 on March 16, 2024. | ||||
| 1953 | Patricia Condon | Maplewood | Vocal | Miss Congeniality | ||||
| 1952 | Mary Parker | Gibbsboro | Drama | |||||
| 1951 | Bernice Massi | Camden | ||||||
| 1950 | June Stephens | Ship Bottom | Comic Sketch, "The Older Set" | Top 16 | ||||
| 1949 | Betty Jane Crowley | Green Bank | Poetry Recitation & Vocal, "Might Like a Rose" | Top 15 | Miss Congeniality (tie) | |||
| 1948 | Barbara Anderson | Bloomfield | ||||||
| 1947 | Delores Mendes | Newark | Vocal & Guitar medley, "I Close My Eyes" & "Siboney" | Top 15 | ||||
| 1946 | Helen Sprinitis | Kearny | ||||||
| 1945 | Matilda Agin | New Brunswick | ||||||
| 1944 | Janice Hansen | Union City | ||||||
| 1943 | Kathleen Harris | Newark | Vocal, "Gianni Mio" | Top 10 | ||||
| 1942 | Madeline Layton | Maywood | Vocal, "Saturday Night" | 3rd runner-up | ||||
| 1941 | Marjorie Eleanor Jennings | Dover | ||||||
| 1940 | Mildred Marie Selko | Kearny | ||||||
| 1939 | Kathleen Kirkland[36] | Maplewood | ||||||
| Margo Lundgren | Harrison | Whistling Tunes Vocal, "Don't Worry About Me" | Top 15 | |||||
| 1938 | Ruth E. Brady | Asbury Park | Miss Asbury Park | Vocal & Tap Dance | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | Multiple New Jersey representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |
| Ruth Joan Sada | Burlington | Miss Burlington | ||||||
| Gloria Martha Riley | Paterson | Miss New Jersey | ||||||
| Dorothy Kathryn Powers | Riverside | Miss Riverside | ||||||
| 1937 | Bette Cooper | Hackettstown | 17 | Miss Bertrand Island | Vocal, "When the Poppies Bloom Again" | Winner | Evening Gown Award | Multiple New Jersey representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| Helen Frances Murphy | Riverside | Miss Riverside | ||||||
| Margaret Julia Jardon | Burlington | Miss South Jersey | ||||||
| 1936 | Thelma Bieber | Camden | Miss Camden | Multiple New Jersey representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Evelyn Pierce | Riverside | Miss South Jersey | ||||||
| 1935 | Mildred Hughes | Miss Bloomfield | Multiple New Jersey representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
| Geraldine Hester | Bridgeton | Miss Bridgeton | ||||||
| Mary Dillinger | Burlington | Miss Burlington | Vocal, "Every Little Moment" | Top 12 | ||||
| Lena Melamed | Camden | Miss Camden | ||||||
| Dorothy Wainwright | Hillside | Miss Hillside | ||||||
| Ann Golden | Miss Lake Hopatcong | |||||||
| Esther Moore | Mount Holly | Miss Mount Holly | ||||||
| Ann Harvey | Newark | Miss Newark | ||||||
| Norine Hughes | Glen Ridge | Miss New Jersey | ||||||
| Elizabeth Koehler | Penns Grove | Miss Penns Grove | Vocal Medley, "Without a Song" & "Roll Out of Bed with a Smile" | Top 12 | ||||
| Othelia March | Riverside | Miss Riverside | ||||||
| Ann Halko | West Orange | Miss West Orange | ||||||
| Thelma Fouks | Woodbury | Miss Woodbury | ||||||
| 1934 | ||||||||
| 1933 | Gertrude Christman | 15 | Top 18 | |||||
| 1932 | No national pageants were held | |||||||
| 1931 | ||||||||
| 1930 | ||||||||
| 1929 | ||||||||
| 1928 | ||||||||
| 1927 | Helen Mankus | Miss Elizabeth | ||||||
| Eunice Geiser | Miss Jersey City | |||||||
| Carolyn Pierson | Miss Newark | Top 15 | ||||||
| Harriet Rita Shelby | Miss Passaic | |||||||
| Sue Hoch | Miss Union City | |||||||
| 1926 | Mary Mavretic | Miss Brigantine Beach | ||||||
| Name not known | Miss Canarsie | |||||||
| Lucy Taylor | Miss Elizabeth | |||||||
| Anita Limbacker | Miss Hoboken | |||||||
| Mildred Morlock | Miss Newark | Top 15 | ||||||
| Evelynne Jeanne Crowell | Miss Orange | Top 15 | ||||||
| Elizabeth Welch | Miss Union City | |||||||
| Kathleen Coyle | Miss Wildwood Gables | |||||||
| 1925 | Lee Bartlett | |||||||
| Frances M. Glowaski | Miss Jersey City | Top 15 | ||||||
| Helen Corcoran | Miss Newark | Top 15 | ||||||
| 1924 | Edith Wright | Miss Bradley Beach | Multiple New Jersey representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
| Emily Borbach | Miss Cape May | Top 10 | ||||||
| Helen Mankus | Miss Elizabeth | |||||||
| Alice Kind | Miss Hammonton | |||||||
| Emerita Monsch | Miss Hoboken | Top 10 | ||||||
| Bonnie Blair | Miss Jersey City | |||||||
| Name not known | Miss Kearny | |||||||
| Miss Long Beach | ||||||||
| Myrtle Marshall | Miss Margate City | |||||||
| Edith Becker | Miss Newark | Top 15 | ||||||
| Gertrude McDonough | Miss Pleasantville | |||||||
| Ethel Sipps | Miss Somers Point | |||||||
| 1923 | Alice Kind[37] | Hammonton | Miss Hammonton | |||||
| Mildred McCann | Cape May | Miss Cape May | ||||||
| Florence Nurock | Camden | Miss Camden | ||||||
| Elene Hicks[38] | Long Branch | 19 | Miss Long Branch | |||||
| Grace Taylor[39] | Philadelphia | Miss Ocean City | ||||||
| Alma D. DeCone | Trenton | Miss Trenton | ||||||
| Mary E. Edwards | Vineland | Miss Vineland | ||||||
| Eleanor Addis | Wildwood | Miss Wildwood | ||||||
| 1922 | Estelle Marks[40] | Atlantic City | Miss Atlantic City | Amateur Beauty Award Third Prize[41] | ||||
| Sarah Alice Bell[42] | Bridgeton | Miss Bridgeton | ||||||
| Eleanor Lindley[43] | Miss Greater Camden | |||||||
| Marion Steelman[44] | Ocean City | Miss Ocean City | ||||||
| Mary Elizabeth Edwards[45] | Vineland | 18 | Miss Vineland | Amateur Beauty Award Second Prize | ||||
| 1921 | Kathryn M. Gearon[46] | Camden | Miss Camden | 1st runner-up | Amateur Beauty Award | Multiple New Jersey representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||
| Margaret Bates[47] | Newark | Miss Newark | ||||||
In Philip Roth's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "American Pastoral", the central character Seymour "Swede" Levov marries Dawn Dwyer, an Irish Catholic winner of Miss New Jersey 1949, from nearby Elizabeth, whom he met at Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey.
In the Drake & Josh episode "Vicious Tiberius", the boys find out their teacher, Mrs. Hayfer, was the winner of Miss New Jersey 1976 while house sitting for her. The winner of the 1957 pageant is mentioned by title in the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver.[48]