| Miss Virginia | |
| Formation: | 1923 |
| Type: | [Scholarship pageant] |
| Headquarters: | Roanoke |
| Location: | Virginia |
| Membership: | Miss America |
| Language: | English |
| Key People: | Elaine Aikens, Mark Schreier, Nancy Lucy(Executive Director) |
| Website: | Official website |
The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s. Four Miss Virginia winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America, including former national titleholder Caressa Cameron.[1]
To compete in the Miss Virginia pageant, a contestant must first win one of many local competitions. Contestants may compete at the local and state level more than once, but having won a state title may only compete in the national Miss America competition one time. The state pageant is held in Roanoke, Virginia at the Roanoke Civic Center in June or July.[2]
During her reign, Miss Virginia travels over 40,000 miles across the state making appearances to further her social impact initiative, visit schools, and for the Miss America Organization's national Children's Miracle Network campaign.[3]
Dorcas Campbell from Farfield was Miss Virginia of 1963, won many singing contests, and was a very talented opera singer. Kristi Lauren Glakas, Miss Virginia 2005, is one of only seven women who have competed in the Miss America, Miss Teen USA, and Miss USA competitions. She was Miss Virginia Teen USA 1999 and Miss Virginia USA 2004, placing in the top ten at Miss Teen USA 1999 and was a non-finalist at Miss USA 2004.[4] Two other Miss Virginia titleholders later competed in the Miss USA pageant: Jennifer Pitts was Miss Virginia USA 2005 and Shannon DePuy was Miss Florida USA 1995.[4] [5]
Carlehr Swanson of Charlottesville was crowned Miss Virginia 2024 on June 29, 2024, at the Berglund Center Auditorium in Roanoke, Virginia. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Virginia 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 | Carlehr Swanson | 25 | Miss Blue Ridge | Singing and Piano | TBA | TBA | ||
| 2023 | Katie Rose[6] | Martinsburg | 27 | Miss Loudoun County | Ballet en Pointe | |||
| 2022 | Victoria Chuah | Ashburn | 23 | Miss Arlington | Ballet en Pointe | Women in STEM Winner | ||
| 2021 | Tatum Sheppard[7] | Milan, TN | 22 | Miss Central Virginia | Vocal | Daughter of Kellye Cash, Miss America 1987 Eligible as a student and recent graduate of Liberty University | ||
| 2019–20 | Dot Kelly | Hampton | 22 | Miss Lynchburg | Tap Dance | Featured as Macy's Starlet at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019 | ||
| Camille Schrier[8] | Newtown, PA | 24 | Miss Dominion | Chemistry Demonstration | Winner[9] | Preliminary Talent Award | Student at VCU School of Pharmacy at time of crowning[10] | |
| 2018 | Emili McPhail[11] | Roseboro, NC | 22 | Miss Arlington | Piano, "The Phantom of the Opera" | Preliminary On Stage Interview Award[12] | Previously Miss North Carolina's Outstanding Teen 2013[13] Top 8 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2014 pageant[14] Eligible as student at Hollins University | |
| 2017 | Cecili Weber[15] [16] | Roanoke | 22 | Miss Arlington | Contemporary Jazz Dance, "Last Dance" | Top 10[17] | Previously Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2010[18] Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2011 pageant[19] Contestant at National Sweetheart 2013, as Miss Ohio | |
| 2016 | Michaela Sigmon[20] | Chesapeake | 21 | Miss Greater Richmond | Tap Dance, "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez | |||
| 2015 | Savannah Lane[21] | Midlothian | 19 | Miss Piedmont Region | Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl | Top 15 | ||
| 2014 | Courtney Garrett | Pamplin | 21 | Miss State Fair of Virginia | Classical Vocal, "Parla più piano" | 1st runner-up | Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship[22] Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2009[23] Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2010 pageant[24] |
| 2013 | Desiree Williams | Newport News | 24 | Miss Arlington | Piano, "Cubana Cubana" by Maksim Mrvica | Previously National Sweetheart 2012 Later Miss Virginia USA 2016 Top 10 at Miss USA 2016 pageant | ||
| 2012 | Rosemary Willis | Chesapeake | 21 | Miss Roanoke Valley | Vocal, "I (Who Have Nothing)" | |||
| 2011 | Elizabeth Crot[25] [26] | Chesapeake | 23 | Miss Arlington | Classical Vocal, "Sempre Libera" from La traviata | Top 15 | ||
| 2010 | Caitlin Uze | Arlington | 22 | Miss Greater Richmond | Irish Treble Reel Dance, "Riverdance" | Top 10 | Marion A. Crooker Award Quality of Life Award Finalist | |
| 2009 | Chinah Helmandollar[27] | Hardy | Miss Smith Mountain Lake | colspan="3" | ||||
| Caressa Cameron | Fredericksburg | 21 | Miss Arlington | Vocal, "Listen" | Winner | Preliminary Talent Award | 4th runner-up at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant | |
| 2008 | Tara Wheeler[28] | Woodbridge | 24 | Miss Arlington | Vocal, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" | |||
| 2007 | Hannah Kiefer[29] | High Point,NC | 21 | Miss Mountain Empire | Classical Ballet en Pointe, "The Chocolate Dance" from The Nutcracker | 3rd runner-up | Charles and Theresa Brown Scholarship | Eligible as a student at Hollins University |
| 2006 | Adrianna Sgarlata | Fairfax Station | 24 | Miss Arlington | Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno di Doretta" from La rondine | Quality of Life Award Finalist | ||
| 2005 | Kristi Lauren Glakas[30] | Centreville | 24 | Miss Apple Blossom Festival | Vocal, "In His Eyes" from Jekyll & Hyde | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award[31] | Triple Crown winner:
|
| 2004 | Mariah Rice[32] | Mechanicsville | 24 | Miss Greater Richmond | Lyrical Dance, "I Am Changing" | Children's Champion Award | ||
| 2003 | Nancy Redd | Martinsville | 22 | Miss Martinsville-Henry County | Piano, "Malagueña" | Top 10 | Children's Champion Award Preliminary Swimsuit Award | |
| 2002 | Jennifer Pitts | Arlington | 24 | Miss Apple Blossom Festival | Contemporary Ballet en Pointe, "Standing in Motion" by Yanni | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2001 pageant Later Miss Virginia USA 2005 | ||
| 2001 | Meghan Shanley | Virginia Beach | 21 | Miss Hampton Holly Days Festival | Vocal, "Big Time" | |||
| 2000 | Jacqueline Cook[33] | Colonial Heights | 24 | Miss Hampton/Newport News | Jazz en Pointe, "Jump, Shout, Boogie" | |||
| 1999 | Crystal Lewis | Newport News | 21 | Miss Lynchburg Festival | Vocal, "I Believe in You and Me" | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1998 | Thomanita (Nita) Leona Booth[34] | Tidewater | 19 | Miss Tidewater | Vocal | colspan="3" | ||
| First African American titleholder | ||||||||
| Nicole Johnson[35] | Virginia Beach | 24 | Miss Lynchburg Festival | Vocal, "That's Life" | Winner | |||
| 1997 | Kelli Quick | Lynchburg | 20 | Miss Lynchburg Festival | Vocal, "I Go To the Rock" from The Preacher's Wife | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1996 | Michelle Kang[36] | Fredericksburg | 22 | Miss Apple Blossom Festival | Classical Piano, "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" | Non-finalist Talent Award | First Asian-American titleholder[37] | |
| 1995 | Amber Medlin | Virginia Beach | 23 | Miss Virginia Beach | Classical Piano, "Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53" | Assumed Ballengee's title[38] | ||
| Andrea Ballengee | Yorktown | Miss Hampton/Newport News | Dance | colspan=3 | ||||
| Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 Top 12 at Miss Teen USA 1992 pageant Later Mrs. California and Mrs. America 2006 under married name Andrea Preuss Top 10 at Mrs. World 2006 pageant | ||||||||
| 1994 | Cullen Johnson[39] | Norfolk | 23 | Miss Central Shenandoah Valley | Classical Piano, Sonata Pathetique | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award Waterford Crystal Business Scholarship | |
| 1993 | Nancy Glisson | Williamsburg | 22 | Miss Lynchburg Festival | Popular Vocal, "I Will Always Love You" | 4th runner-up | ||
| 1992 | Lora Flattum | Isle of Wight | 24 | Miss Apple Blossom Festival | Classical Piano, "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C Minor" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1991 | Sheri Huffman | Lynchburg | 23 | Miss Amherst County | Vocal, "If I Can Dream" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1990 | Shannon DePuy | Lynchburg | 19 | Miss Amherst County | Classical Piano, "Revolutionary Etude" | Top 10 | Later Miss Florida USA 1995 & top 6 at Miss USA 1995 | |
| 1989 | Tami Elliott[40] | Newport News | 24 | Miss Portsmouth-Seawall Festival | Gymnastics Dance Routine, "The Phantom of the Opera" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1988 | April Fleming | 23 | Miss Richmond | Vocal, "New York State of Mind" | ||||
| 1987 | Heidi Lammi | Alexandria | 26 | Miss Northern Virginia | Ballet en Pointe, Grande Tarantelle | Top 10 | ||
| 1986 | Julianne Smith | Yorktown | 21 | Miss Williamsburg | Vocal, "Golden Rainbow" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | |
| 1985 | Kimberly Johnson | Coeburn | 19 | Miss Lonesome Pine | Vocal & Piano, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" | |||
| 1984 | Susan Carter Parker | Covington | 23 | Miss Alleghany Highlands | Classical Vocal, "My Man's Gone Now" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1983 | Lisa Aliff | Roanoke | 23 | Miss Vinton Dogwood Festival | Vocal & Dance, "Manhattan" & "Broadway Rhythm" | |||
| 1982 | Beverly Cooke[41] | Richmond | 24 | Miss Portsmouth-Seawall Festival | Vocal Medley, "Smile" & "Happy Days Are Here Again" | Mother of Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2006, Brittany Young[42] | ||
| 1981 | Vicky Pulliam | Martinsville | 21 | Miss Martinsville/Henry County | Semi-classical Vocal, "Art Is Calling For Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert | |||
| 1980 | Holly Jereme | Roanoke | 23 | Miss Roanoke Valley | Vocal & Dance, "City Lights" | |||
| 1979 | Darlene McIntosh | Chesapeake | 22 | Miss Chesapeake | Classical Piano, "Prelude in C sharp minor" | |||
| 1978 | Paige Brown | Alexandria | Miss Fairfax County | colspan="3" | ||||
| Kylene Barker | Galax | 22 | Miss Pulaski County | Gymnastics Routine, "Gonna Fly Now" & "Feelin So Good" | Winner | |||
| 1977 | Terri Bartlett | Newport News | 24 | Miss Norfolk | Classical Piano, "Rhapsody in C Minor" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1976 | Pamela Polk | Richmond | 22 | Miss Peanut Festival | Classical Vocal, "Mi Chiamano Mimi" from La bohème | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1975 | Joan Grady | Virginia Beach | 21 | Miss Virginia Beach | Classical Vocal, "Vissi d'arte" | |||
| 1974 | Stephanie Dowdy | 18 | Vocal, "I've Gotta Be Me" | |||||
| 1973 | Elinda Gail Vandeventer | Pulaski | 20 | Miss Pulaski | Classical Vocal, "The Telephone Aria" | |||
| 1972 | Dona Marie Pillow | Lynchburg | 22 | Miss Lynchburg | Vocal, "Memories" | Cousin of country singer, Ray Pillow | ||
| 1971 | Linda Moyer | Norfolk | 20 | Miss Norfolk | Vocal & Dance | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | ||
| 1970 | Jeannette Smith | Roanoke | 19 | Miss Roanoke Valley | Classical Piano, "Toccata" by Aram Khachaturian | |||
| 1969 | Sydney Lewis | Hampton | 19 | Miss Hampton/Newport News | Original Monologue, "Prisoner at the Bar" | |||
| 1968 | Cherie Davis | Clifton Forge | 20 | Miss Alleghany Highlands | Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1967 | Barbara Yost | Roanoke | 19 | Miss Roanoke Valley | Piano, "Grande valse brillante in E flat major" | |||
| 1966 | Linda Maclin | 18 | Modern Jazz Dance | Miss Congeniality | ||||
| 1965 | Jean Inge | Norfolk | 22 | Miss Norfolk | Speech about Politics & Government entitled Democracy | |||
| 1964 | Carolyn Eddy | 21 | Dramatic Reading | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||||
| 1963 | Dorcas Campbell | Fairfield | Miss Rockbridge County | Vocal Medley, "Près des remparts de Séville" from Carmen & Songs from West Side Story | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1962 | Patricia Gaulding | Richmond | 19 | Miss Richmond | Caricature Sketching & Original Comedy Monologue | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1961 | Charlotte Thomas | Roanoke | 19 | Miss Lynchburg | Piano, "Malagueña" | |||
| 1960 | Catherine Birch | Staunton | 19 | Miss Bristol | Classical Ballet | Married magician, John A. Daniel | ||
| 1959 | Alice Sue Williams | Richmond | 19 | Miss Williamsburg | Dramatization of Designing & Sewing Fashions | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1958 | Barbara Guthrie | Martinsville | Miss Martinsville | Drama | ||||
| 1957 | Rebecca Lee Edmunds | Roanoke | Miss Roanoke Valley | Dance | ||||
| 1956 | Rebecca Richardson | Martinsville | Miss Martinsville | Art Display & Piano | Non-finalist Talent Award | |||
| 1955 | Betty Sue Mathews | Norfolk | Miss Virginia Beach | Vocal, "There's No Business Like Show Business" | ||||
| 1954 | Julie Ann Bruening | Swoope | Miss Staunton-Augusta County | Charcoal Sketch of The Statue of Liberty | ||||
| 1953 | Anne Lee Ceglis | Norfolk | Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |||
| 1952 | Edna Long | Richmond | Dance | |||||
| 1951 | Shirley Bryant | Norfolk | Vocal | |||||
| 1950 | Gloria Fenderson | Petersburg | ||||||
| 1949 | Betty Lewis | Norfolk | Vocal | |||||
| 1948 | Bobby Joe Wilson | Hillsville | ||||||
| 1947 | Ruth Ellen Mears | Cape Charles | Speech | |||||
| 1946 | Bette Cannon | Alexandria | Monologue, "The Waltz" by Dorothy Parker | |||||
| 1945 | ||||||||
| 1944 | ||||||||
| 1943 | Dorothy Taylor | Richmond | Miss Richmond | |||||
| 1942 | Charlotte Mae Smith | Fredericksburg | ||||||
| 1941 | Jacquelyn McWin | Waynesboro | Top 15 | |||||
| 1940 | Virginia Campbell | Charlottesville | ||||||
| 1939 | Rose Marie Elliott[43] | Suffolk | Vocal, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" | 4th runner-up | ||||
| 1938 | Kathleen Mann | North Arlington | ||||||
| 1937 | Frances Lee Sultan | Kecoughtan | Top 16 | |||||
| 1936 | Dolores Taylor | Ocean View | Miss Virginia | Top 15 | ||||
| Mary Virginia Ash | Phoebus | Miss Virginia Peninsula | ||||||
| 1935 | ||||||||
| 1934 | No national pageant was held[44] | |||||||
| 1933 | Evangeline Glidewell[45] | Danville | 17 | Miss Danville | [46] | 3rd runner-up | ||
| 1932 | No national pageants were held | |||||||
| 1931 | ||||||||
| 1930 | ||||||||
| 1929 | ||||||||
| 1928 | ||||||||
| 1927 | No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[47] | |||||||
| 1926 | Eleanor V. Reid | Miss Norfolk | Top 15 | |||||
| 1925 | Dorothea Prince | Miss Norfolk | ||||||
| 1924 | No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[48] | |||||||
| 1923 | Billie Gates[49] | Miss Richmond | ||||||
| 1922 | No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[50] [51] | |||||||
| 1921 | ||||||||