| Winner: | Betty Cantrell |
| Represented: | Georgia |
| Presenters: | Chris Harrison, Brooke Burke |
| Venue: | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
| Broadcaster: | ABC |
| Entrants: | 52 |
| Placements: | 15 |
| Withdraws: | Virgin Islands |
| Before: | 2015 |
| Next: | 2017 |
Miss America 2016 was the 89th Miss America pageant, held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 13, 2015.
Kira Kazantsev of New York crowned Betty Cantrell of Georgia as her successor at the end of the event. According to Miss America's website, the pageant got around 7.9 million views.
There were 52 women[1] competing for the title, down from 53 contestants in the 2014 pageant, as the Miss Virgin Islands pageant organization did not renew their license and is no longer sending representatives for the Miss America pageant.
The panel of preliminary competition judges included publicist and talent producer Brian Edwards, Miss America 1979 Kylene Barker, producer Jenni Pulos, fashion and style expert Rachel Zalis, fashion designer Noah Alexander, D.C. lobbyist Lanny Griffith, and actor/model James Brown III.[2] [3]
Vanessa Williams (who was crowned Miss America 1984 but was forced to resign a few weeks before her reign ended) served as head judge and performed Oh How the Years Go By.[4] [5] The pageant began with Miss America CEO Sam Haskell issuing an apology to Williams, telling her that although "none of us currently in the organization were involved then, on behalf of today's organization, I want to apologize to you and to your mother, Miss Helen Williams. I want to apologize for anything that was said or done that made you feel any less the Miss America you are and the Miss America you always will be."[6] [7] [8] Suzette Charles (Williams' replacement)[9] said in an interview with Inside Edition that she was perplexed over the apology and suggested that it was given for the purpose of ratings.[10] Williams also commented on the events surrounding her return, stating in an interview with Robin Roberts that "there's a lot of people who feel I should return, so the people who harbor the resentment I understand it but realize that all of those people that were part of the old guard are no longer there."[4]
| Placement | Contestant | |
|---|---|---|
| Miss America 2016 | ||
| 1st Runner-Up | ||
| 2nd Runner-Up | ||
| 3rd Runner-Up |
| |
| 4th Runner-Up |
| |
| Top 7 |
| |
| Top 10 | ||
| Top 12 |
| |
| Top 15 |
|
| Awards | Contestant | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifestyle and Fitness |
| |
| Talent |
|
| State/district/terr. | Name | Hometown | Age | Talent | Platform | Placement | Special awards | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | [13] | Ozark | 22 | Jazz Ballet en Pointe "Enigma Variation" from The Matrix | "Healthy is the New Skinny - Promoting Positive Body Image" | 4th runner-up | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Previously Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen 2007 | |
| Alaska | [14] | Anchorage | 19 | Vocal "Shy" from Once Upon a Mattress | "Instilling Responsibility in Youth through Athletics" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | |||
| Arizona | Chandler | 20 | Contemporary Dance | "Empowering Individuals With Disabilities" | Previously Miss Arizona's Outstanding Teen 2012 | ||||
| Arkansas | [15] | Van Buren | 22 | Vocal "Piece of Sky" | "Confidently You" | Top 15 | |||
| California | [16] | Garden Grove | 23 | Tap Dance | "Alopecia Areata Advocacy (NAAF)" | ||||
| Colorado | [17] | Windsor | 22 | Monologue | "The Health Initiative PLUS" | 2nd runner-up | STEM Scholarship Award | Appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss her nursing monologue and received $10,000 from Shutterfly for nurse anesthetist school[18] Later Miss California USA 2018[19] | |
| Connecticut | Wolcott | 22 | Irish Step Dance | "Promoting Childhood Literacy: Encouraging a Health Mind for a Healthy Life" | |||||
| Delaware | [20] | Selbyville | 19 | Baton twirling "Rhythm of the Night" | "Volunteerism - Turn Your Passion into Action" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | |||
| District of Columbia | [21] | Fort Myers | 24 | Vocal "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift | "Mental Health Manners" | ||||
| Florida | [22] | Leesburg | 19 | Lyrical Dance "Listen" | "A Safety Net - Protecting Our Youth from Online Predators" | Top 10 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Sister of Elizabeth Fechtel, Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012[23] Previously Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen 2010[24] | |
| Georgia | [25] | Warner Robins | 21 | Classical Vocal "Tu Tu Piccolo Iddio" | "Healthy Children, Strong America" | Miss America 2016 | Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| Hawaii | [26] | Kailua-Kona | 20 | Lyrical Dance "My Heart Will Go On" by Tioni Tam Sing | "Sex Trafficking: #ItEndsWithUs" | Miss Congeniality | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014, but pulled out of the competition due to a family emergency | ||
| Idaho | [27] | Kimberly | 23 | Vocal | "United We Stand, Supporting Our US Military Heroes" | Previously National Sweetheart 2014[28] Later Miss Minnesota USA 2018[29] | |||
| Illinois | [30] | Anna | 22 | Vocal "That's Life" | "Crystal Clear Driving - Eyes on the Road Ahead" | ||||
| Indiana | [31] | Charlestown | 21 | Lyrical Ballet, "You Raise Me Up" | "Project Impact: If not you, then who?" | Daughter of Trina Collins, Miss New Mexico 1984 Previously Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen 2007[32] Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | |||
| Iowa | [33] | Clinton | 21 | Vocal. "Don't Forget Me" from Smash | "St. Baldrick's Foundation - Shave. Serve. Share." | Top 12 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| Kansas | [34] | Wichita | 19 | Ballet en Pointe Swan Lake | "The Bold Initiative: Stand Up, Stand Out, BE BOLD!" | ||||
| Kentucky | Lexington | 18 | Vocal "Summertime" | "Promoting Dyslexia Awareness" | Grew up with dyslexia | ||||
| Louisiana | [35] | Mandeville | 23 | Vocal "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from The Sound of Music | "I.O.U. - Improving Others through U!" | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | Previously Miss Louisiana's Outstanding Teen 2008[36] | |
| Maine | [37] | Lebanon | 24 | Clogging "Black Betty" | "The Superhero in You" | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 | ||
| Maryland | [38] | Gaithersburg | 23 | Guitar/Vocal | "Forging Your Own Destiny - Overcoming Adversity with Self-Discovery and Mentorship" | Quality of Life Award Finalist | 4th runner-up at Miss Maryland USA 2015 | ||
| Massachusetts | Attleboro | 22 | Jazz Dance | "America's Promise Alliance" | Previously Massachusetts' Junior Miss 2010 Top 10 at Miss America's Junior Miss 2010 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2013 1st runner-up at National Sweetheart 2013 pageant | ||||
| Michigan | [39] | Alpena | 23 | Tap Dance "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer | "Adopting America's Children" | ||||
| Minnesota | [40] | Minneapolis | 24 | Contemporary Ribbon Dance "Out of the Woods" | "The Heart of Learning: Providing What Our Classrooms Need" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | |||
| Mississippi | [41] | Mount Olive | 21 | Classical violin "Zapateado, No. 2, Opus 23" | "Pages of Love" | 1st runner-up | STEM Scholarship Award Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 2011 2nd runner-up to America's Junior Miss 2011 | |
| Missouri | [42] | Hale | 22 | Jazz Ballet en Pointe "P.Y.T." | "Character Plus - Inspiring Lives of Integrity Through Education" | Previously Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen 2011 | |||
| Montana | [43] | Cut Bank | 23 | Piano "Pirates of the Caribbean" | "Acting on Compassion" | Sister of Alexis Wineman, Miss Montana 2012 Previously Montana's Junior Miss 2010 | |||
| Nebraska | [44] | Omaha | 20 | Piano "Northern Lights" | "Making Miracles Happen - One Miracle Bag at a Time" | Top 12 | Previously Miss Virginia National Teen 2009 | ||
| Nevada | Madisonville, KY | 23 | Piano | "Every Day Counts: A Comprehensive Plan for Improving School Attendance" | |||||
| New Hampshire | [45] | Derry | 23 | Baton Twirling "Show Me How You Burlesque" by Christina Aguilera | "Charity from the Heart: Giving Time to Make a Difference" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | |||
| New Jersey | [46] | Hammonton | 21 | Latin Rhythm Dance "Fireball" by Pitbull | "Dangers of Distracted Driving" | Quality of Life Award Winner | |||
| New Mexico | [47] | Albuquerque | 20 | Jazz Dance "I'm Gonna Live 'Til I Die" | "For The Kids - Supporting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals through Dance Marathons" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | |||
| New York | [48] | Eltingville | 23 | Lyrical Dance "I Was Here" by Beyoncé | "Inspiring Action Against Pediatric Cancer" | 1st runner-up at National Sweetheart 2014 | |||
| North Carolina | Kate Peacock[49] | Dunn | 19 | Tap Dance "Swing the Mood" | "Pediatric Eye Disease" | 2nd runner-up at Miss North Carolina's Outstanding Teen 2012 | |||
| North Dakota | [50] | Hazen | 19 | Vocal "Someone Like You" by Adele | "Beyond the B Word: A New Stance on Bullying" | ||||
| Ohio | [51] | Wooster | 24 | Jazz Vocal "Almost Like Being in Love" | "Women Hold Up Half The Sky" | Previously Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2008 | |||
| Oklahoma | [52] | Tulsa | 23 | Vocal "Happy Days Are Here Again" | "Warriors for Women" | Top 10 | Previously Miss Oklahoma's Outstanding Teen 2009 Top 16 at National Sweetheart 2014 | ||
| Oregon | Portland | 21 | Lyrical Dance "Latch" by Sam Smith | "Traumatic Brain Injury Education & Awareness" | Daughter of Tamara Fazzolari, Miss Oregon 1987 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | [53] | South Fayette | 23 | Tap Dance "Pon de Replay" by Rihanna | "Strong Women, Strong Girls Mentoring Organization: Impacting Our Communities... One Girl at a Time" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 Previously Miss United States Continental 2014 | |||
| Puerto Rico | Trujillo Alto | 19 | Acoustic Drums | "#Upstander" | |||||
| Rhode Island | [54] | West Warwick | 23 | Musical Theater "Poor Unfortunate Souls" | "Leading Ladies: Equipping Young Women With the Skills to Lead" | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously National All-American Miss Teen 2010-2011 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 Later 4th Runner-Up at Miss World America 2017 | ||
| South Carolina | Spartanburg | 22 | Vocal "I Believe" | "Type I & Type II Diabetes Mellitus" | Top 7 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |||
| South Dakota | [55] | Hot Springs | 22 | Vocal, "Hallelujah" | "5 Stars for Serving Those Who Served" | Previously Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2007 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 | |||
| Tennessee | [56] | Paris | 21 | Piano "El Cumbanchero" | "Campaign Against Pain: Arthritis Awareness" | Top 7 | America's Choice STEM Scholarship Award Quality of Life Award 1st runner-up | 2nd runner-up at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2012 | |
| Texas | Coppell | 23 | Pop Vocal | "She Matters: Gender Equality and Female Empowerment" | Top 10 | ||||
| Utah | [57] | St. George | 22 | Piano "All of Me" | "Live Well" | ||||
| Vermont | [58] | Bakersfield | 23 | Scientific Experiment | "Success Through STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math" | STEM Scholarship Award | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | ||
| Virginia | Midlothian | 19 | Vocal "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl | "Power of Performance" | Top 15 | ||||
| Washington | Bellingham | 21 | Vocal | "Community Through Mentorship: Investing in Our Future" | STEM Scholarship Award | ||||
| West Virginia | [59] | Wheeling | 23 | Vocal | "Break the Silence: Opening up the Conversation of Mental Health" | Top 15 | |||
| Wisconsin | [60] | Waukesha | 19 | "Colin's Crusade: Breaking the Barriers of Addiction" | |||||
| Wyoming | [61] | Laramie | 21 | Violin | "Make Music Matter" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2013 Later Miss Wyoming USA 2017[62] |