The Miss Colorado competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Colorado in the Miss America pageant. The Colorado representative has won the Miss America crown on four occasions.
Gabrielle Burns of Parker was crowned Miss Colorado 2026 on June 13, 2026, at the Bunker Auditorium in the Green Center at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. She competed for the title of Miss America 2027 on September 6, 2026, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Fort Smith, Arkansas native Madison Isabella Marsh of Colorado Springs, Colorado was crowned Miss Colorado 2023 on May 27, 2023, at The PACE Center in Parker, Colorado. She competed for and won the title of Miss America 2024 in Orlando, Florida on January 14, 2024.
Results summary The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Colorado 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: Sharon Ritchie (1956), Marilyn Van Derbur (1958), Rebecca Ann King (1974), Madison Marsh (2024) 1st runners-up: Maya Walker (1989) 2nd runners-up: Debbie Riecks (1990), Kelley Johnson (2016) 3rd runners-up: Sylvia Canaday (1949), LaTayna Hall (1988) Top 7: Monica Thompson (2020) Top 10: Cheryl Sweeten (1964), Adria Easton (1970), Karrie Mitchell (1991), Ellery Jones (2019) Top 11: Alexandra Lotko (2025) Top 12: Katie Layman (2010) Top 15: Delores Conrad (1926)
Awards Preliminary awards Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Sylvia Canaday (1949), Karrie Mitchell (1991) Preliminary Fitness: Gabrielle Gramont (2026)
Non-finalist awards Non-finalist Talent: Tia Tyler (1968), Cathy Glau (1972), Suzan Hogan (1978), Kimberly Christiansen (1981), Deborah Davids (1983), Carol Johnson (1987), Michelle Stanley (1997), Keely Gaston (1999), Shannon Patilla (2017), Meredith Winnefeld (2018)
Other awards Miss Congeniality: Tia Tyler (1968) STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Kelley Johnson (2016) Women in Business Scholarship Award Winners: Meredith Winnefeld (2018) AHA Go Red for Women Leadership Award Overall Winner: Alexandra Lotko (2025)
Winner
Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2026Gabrielle BurnsParker23Miss Rocky MountainVocal, “Mamma Mia”2025 Gabrielle Gramont Fort Collins 22 Miss Fort Collins Jazz Dance, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”Preliminary Fitness Award2024Alexandra LotkoDenver26Miss Front RangeVocal, "My Funny Valentine"Top 11AHA Go Red for Women Leadership Award Winner2023Sarah Jean SwiftCastle Pines20Miss Rocky MountainLyrical Dance colspan=2 4th runner-up at Miss Texas 2025 and 2026 Madison Marsh Colorado Springs / Fort Smith 21 Miss Academy HERStory (Original Monologue), "My First Solo Flight"WinnerGraduate of the United States Air Force AcademyFirst active-duty officer and graduate of a military service academy to win Miss ColoradoFirst active-duty officer and graduate of a military service academy to win Miss America.Cousin of Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2021 and Miss Arkansas USA 2024 Madeline Bohlman2022 Savannah Cavanaugh Edwards 25 Miss Beaver Creek Country Vocal, "White Liar"2021Maura Spence CarrollFort Carson21Miss Fort CarsonVocal, "Never Enough"First active-duty soldier to win Miss Colorado 2020No national pageant was held2019Monica ThompsonAurora24Classical Vocal, "Les Filles de Cadix"Top 72018Ellery Jones Greenwood Village 21 Miss Greenwood Village Spoken Word Top 102017 Meredith Winnefeld Highlands Ranch 23 Miss Highlands Ranch Dance/Twirl, "He's a Pirate" Non-finalist Talent AwardWomen in Business Scholarship Award Previously Miss Colorado's Outstanding Teen 2011Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012 pageant2016 Shannon Patilla Denver 24 Miss Mile High Vocal, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" Non-finalist Talent Award 2015 Kelley Johnson Windsor 22 Miss Northern Colorado Original Monologue, "Not Just a Nurse" 2nd runner-up STEM Scholarship AwardAppeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss her nursing monologue and received $10,000 from Shutterfly for nurse anesthetist schoolLater Miss California USA 2018Top 10 at Miss USA 2018 pageant2014 Stacey Cook Littleton 23 Miss Rocky Mountain Tahitian Dance, "Runaway Baby" Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 pageant2013 Meg Kardos Denver 23 Miss Metropolitan Classical Vocal, "Habanera"2012 Hannah Porter Centennial 24 Miss Rocky Mountain Tap Dance, "Boom Boom" Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2011 pageant2011 Diana Dreman Denver 23 Miss Boulder County Musical Theater Dance, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Daughter of Miss America 1974, Rebecca Ann King2010 Melaina Shipwash Colorado Springs 24 Miss Colorado Springs Tap Dance, "9 to 5"2009 Katie Layman Aurora 23 Miss Douglas County Contemporary Lyrical Dance, "The Way I Am" Top 122008 Jamie Dukehart-Conti Arvada 23 Miss Broomfield Jazz Dance2007 Maggie Ireland Littleton 22 Miss Littleton Irish Step Dance, "Dueling Violins" & "Footloose" 2006 Janie Allen Arvada 23 Miss Parker Piano Medley, "Concerto in A Minor" & "Rhapsody in Blue"2005 Jessica Urban Colorado Springs 24 Miss Highlands Ranch Vocal / Harp, "If I Ain't Got You"2004 Laura Tobey Denver 23 Miss Denver Jazz Vocal, "Over the Rainbow"2003 Katee Doland Arvada 23 Lyrical Dance, "In His Eyes" from Jekyll & HydePreviously Miss Colorado Teen USA 1998;Top 10 at Miss Teen USA 1998 Previously Miss Colorado USA 2001;Miss Photogenic at Miss USA 2001 pageant2002 Morgan O'Murray Colorado Springs 21 Miss Centennial Jazz Dance, "Sing, Sing, Sing" Previously Miss Colorado Teen USA 1999Former Denver Broncos cheerleader2001 Kelly McKee Parker 22 Miss Rocky Mountain Lyrical Dance, "Someone Like You" from Jekyll & Hyde 2000 Anamarie Bonafede Loveland Miss Centennial Ballet, "How Majestic Is Your Name"1999 Erin MacGregor Denver 23 Miss Columbine Lyrical Ballet, "Celebration" Later Miss Colorado USA 20031998 Keely Gaston Morrison 20 Miss Rocky Mountain Classical Ballet, "Kitri's Variation" from Don Quixote Non-finalist Talent Award Later Miss Colorado USA 20021997 Regina Flores Colorado Springs 21 Miss Capital City Vocal, "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"1996 Michelle Stanley Littleton 20 Dramatic Monologue from Quilters Non-finalist Talent Award Later Miss Colorado USA 19981995 Amy Ciccolella Monument 21 Miss Northern Front Range Popular Vocal / Puppetry, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"1994 Shellene Cockrell Colorado Springs 24 Miss Colorado Springs Tap Dance, "Sing, Sing, Sing" 1993 Stephanie Irving 22 Inspirational Vocal1992 Stacey Rose Parker 22 Miss Metro South Classical Violin, "Hungarian Dance No. 5" by Brahm1991 Colleen Walker Pueblo 21 Miss Pueblo County Vocal, "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from The Phantom of the Opera1990 Karrie Mitchell Arvada 24 Miss Arvada Popular Vocal, "Vision of Love" Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award1989 Debbie Riecks Aurora 24 Miss Mile High/Front Range Contemporary Flute, "Shenandoah" & "Dueling Banjos" 2nd runner-up 1st runner-up at America's Junior Miss 1983 pageant1988 Maya Walker Eagle-Vail 23 Miss Western Counties Jazz Vocal, "Night and Day" 1st runner-up Later Miss Oklahoma USA 19921987 LaTanya Hall Boulder 22 Miss Boulder Valley Vocal, "I Am Changing" 3rd runner-up1986 Carol Janson Boulder 21 Miss Boulder Valley Piano, "Revolutionary Etude" Non-finalist Talent Award1985 Linda Trimmer Denver 22 Miss Sterling Vocal, "He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat!1984 Lisa Frees Thornton 25 Miss Adams County Vocal, "I Got Rhythm"1983 Melanie Ann Scott Littleton 21 Miss Denver Jazz Acrobatic Dance, "Junkaroo Holiday"1982 Deborah Davids Denver 22 Miss Chatfield Harp, "Introduction et Allegro" by Maurice Ravel Non-finalist Talent Award1981 Lynnette Jessen 20 Miss Jefferson County Acrobatic Dance, "Theme from Exodus" Later Miss Colorado USA 19851980 Kimberly Christiansen Arvada 19 Miss Aurora Baton Twirling, music from "The Main Event" Non-finalist Talent Award1979 Sheliah Wilkins Denver 23 Miss Denver Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo'"1978 Catherine Brown Littleton Miss Littleton Classical Vocal1977 Suzan Hogan Colorado Springs 19 Miss Denver County Flute, "Carnival of Venice" Non-finalist Talent Award 1976 Karen Land Littleton 22 Miss Northeastern Junior College Vibraphone, "Bandstand Boogie"1975 Penny Currier Lakewood 22 Miss Lakewood Concert Pedal Harp, "St. Louis Blues"1974 Cynthia Hunter Denver 23 Miss Denver Soft Shoe Dance, "Mame"1973 Gayle Holden 20 colspan=3 Rebecca Ann King Sterling 23 Miss Metro Denver Vocal, "If I Ruled the World" Winner Mother of Miss Colorado 2011, Diana Dremen1972 Sally Anderson Longmont 19 Miss Longmont Classical Vocal, "Daydreams"1971 Cathy Glau Denver 20 Miss Northern Colorado Modern Jazz Dance, "Up, Up and Away" Non-finalist Talent Award1970 Sue Gehrman Fort Collins 18 Miss Northglen Musical Interpretation, "Just You Wait" from My Fair Lady1969 Adria Easton Boulder 21 Miss Boulder Baton Twirling, Medley from Funny Girl Top 10 1968 Pamela Kerker Sterling 21 Miss Sterling Ballet / Jazz Dance, "By Myself" & "Babalu"1967 Tia Tyler Golden 20 Miss Denver Dramatic Reading, "Queendom Sequence" from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Miss Congeniality (3-way tie)Non-finalist Talent Award 1966 Holly Smith Denver 19 Miss University of Denver Popular Vocal1965 Kristina Holm 19 Piano, "More" from Gigi1964 Kathleen Knight 19 Miss May Days Semi-classical Vocal, "The Telephone"1963 Cheryl Sweeten Arvada 18 Miss Arvada Dramatic Reading from Anastasia Top 101962 Sally Guinn Westminster 18 Miss Westminster Folk Vocal 1961 Jane Lee McBurney Denver 19 Miss University of Colorado Piano Selection, "Malagueña"1960 Anne Walker Littleton 18 Miss Aurora Dance1959 Marlinda Mason Denver 20 Dramatic Reading1958 Cynthia Cullen Boulder Drama, "Queen on Being Sentenced to Death"1957 Marilyn Van Derbur Denver 20 Organ, "Tea for Two" & "Tenderly" Winner1956 Polly Childs Aurora Drama1955 Sharon Ritchie Denver 18 Recitation, "The Murder of Lidice" by Edna St. Vincent Millay Winner1954 Barbara Busey Denver Vocal / Dance1953 Mary Donelan Keenesburg Dramatic Monologue from Of Mice and Men1952 Chardelle Hayward Fort Collins Piano1951 Jo London Aurora Dramatic Monologue Assumed title when the original winner, Aber, resignedLewiston Morning Tribune, August 15, 1951 Marie Aber Denver N/A1950 Barbara Norrish Longmont Violin1949 Sylvia Canaday Denver Monologue from Dinner at Eight 3rd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award1948 Virginia Smith Pueblo1947 Joyce Haycock Vocal, "Chi-Baba"1946 Raye Donnelly Colorado Springs 1945No Colorado representative at Miss America pageant 1944 1943 19421941 Charlene Woods Denver1940 Eileen Hoskins 1939No Colorado representative at Miss America pageant 1938 Rosanna Bean Montrose 1937No Colorado representative at Miss America pageant 1936 1935 1934No national pageant was held 1933No Colorado representative at Miss America pageant 1932No national pageants were held 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 Elva Yvette Roy Miss Denver Competed under local title at Miss America pageant 1926 Jeanette Roland Miss ColoradoMultiple Colorado representativesContestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant Delores Conrad Miss Denver Top 15 1925No Colorado representative at Miss America pageant 1924 1923 1922 1921
Notes
References
External links Miss Colorado official website