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.
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.
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 American Heart Association's "Go Red" campaign.
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. 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.
Maddie Merchant of Lebanon was crowned Miss Virginia on June 27, 2026, at the Berglund Center Auditorium in Roanoke, Virginia. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2027 in West Palm Beach, Florida from September 1–6, 2026.
Gallery of past titleholders
Results summary 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.
Placements Miss Americas: Kylene Barker (1979), Nicole Johnson (1999), Caressa Cameron (2010), Camille Schrier (2020) 1st runners-up: Julianne Smith (1987), Cullen Johnson (1995), Courtney Garrett (2015) 2nd runners-up: Anne Lee Ceglis (1954) 3rd runners-up: Evangeline Glidewell (1933), Kristi Lauren Glakas (2006), Hannah Kiefer (2008) 4th runners-up: Rose Marie Elliott (1939), Nancy Glisson (1994) Top 10: Dorcas Campbell (1964), Cherie Davis (1969), Pamela Polk (1977), Heidi Lammi (1988), Shannon DePuy (1991), Nancy Redd (2004), Caitlin Uze (2011), Cecili Weber (2018) Top 15: Eleanor V. Reid (1926), Dolores Taylor (1936), Jacquelyn McWin (1941), Elizabeth Crot (2012), Savannah Lane (2016) Top 16: Frances L. Sultan (1937)
Awards Preliminary awards Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Linda Moyer (1972), Julianne Smith (1987), Cullen Johnson (1995), Nancy Redd (2004), Kristi Lauren Glakas (2006) Preliminary On Stage Interview: Emili McPhail (2019) Preliminary Talent: Anne Lee Ceglis (1954), Dorcas Campbell (1964), Cherie Davis (1969), Pamela Polk (1977), Crystal Lewis (2000), Caressa Cameron (2010), Camille Schrier (2020)
Non-finalist awards Non-finalist Talent: Rebecca Richardson (1957), Alice Sue Williams (1960), Patricia Gaulding (1963), Carolyn Eddy (1965), Sydney Lewis (1970), Terri Bartlett (1978), Susan Parker (1984), Tami Elliott (1990), Sheri Huffman (1991), Lora Flattum (1992), Michelle Kang (1997), Kelli Quick (1998), Crystal Lewis (2000)
Other awards Miss Congeniality: Linda Maclin (1967) Charles and Theresa Brown Scholarship: Hannah Kiefer (2008), Courtney Garrett (2015) Children's Champion Award: Nancy Redd (2004), Mariah Rice (2005) Quality of Life Award Finalists: Adrianna Sgarlata (2007), Tara Wheeler (2008), Caitlin Uze (2011), Courtney Garrett (2015) Waterford Crystal Business Scholarship: Cullen Johnson (1995) Women in STEM Winners: Victoria Chuah (2023)
Winners
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2026Maddie MerchantLebanon22Miss Lynchburg Clogging2025Madison WhitbeckArlington 20Miss ArlingtonVocal2024Carlehr SwansonCharlottesville 25Miss Blue RidgeVocal/Piano, "Get Here"2023Katie RoseMartinsburg27Miss Loudoun CountyBallet en Pointe2022Victoria ChuahAshburn23Miss ArlingtonBallet en PointeWomen in STEM WinnerLater Miss Vermont USA 2025Top 10 at Miss USA 2025 2021 Tatum SheppardMilan, TN22 Miss Central VirginiaVocal Daughter of Kellye Cash, Miss America 1987Eligible as a student and recent graduate of Liberty University2019–20Dot KellyHampton22Miss LynchburgTap Dancecolspan="2" Featured as Macy's Starlet at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019Camille SchrierNewtown, PA24Miss DominionChemistry DemonstrationWinnerPreliminary Talent AwardStudent at VCU School of Pharmacy at time of crowning 2018 Emili McPhail Roseboro, NC 22 Miss Arlington Piano, "The Phantom of the Opera" Preliminary On Stage Interview Award Previously Miss North Carolina's Outstanding Teen 2013Top 8 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2014 pageant Eligible as student at Hollins University2017Cecili WeberRoanoke 22 Miss Arlington Contemporary Jazz Dance, "Last Dance" Top 10 Previously Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2010Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2011 pageantContestant at National Sweetheart 2013, as Miss Ohio 2016 Michaela Sigmon Chesapeake 21 Miss Greater Richmond Tap Dance, "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez 2015 Savannah Lane 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 ScholarshipQuality of Life Award Finalist Previously Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2009Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2010 pageant 2013 Desiree Williams Newport News 24 Miss Arlington Piano, "Cubana Cubana" by Maksim Mrvica Previously National Sweetheart 2012Later Miss Virginia USA 2016Top 10 at Miss USA 2016 pageant 2012 Rosemary Willis Chesapeake 21 Miss Roanoke Valley Vocal, "I (Who Have Nothing)" 2011 Elizabeth Crot 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 AwardQuality of Life Award Finalist 2009 Chinah Helmandollar 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 Woodbridge 24 Miss Arlington Vocal, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" 2007 Hannah Kiefer 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 Centreville 24 Miss Apple Blossom Festival Vocal, "In His Eyes" from Jekyll & Hyde 3rd runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award Triple Crown winner: Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1999; Top 10 at Miss Teen USA 1999 pageant