The Miss Louisiana competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss America pageant. Although no delegate from Louisiana has ever won the Miss America title, five have placed 1st runner-up. As of 2026, Louisiana is the lone member of the Confederacy during the Civil War which has not produced a Miss America.
The pageant is held in June at the W. L. Jack Howard Theatre, named for the late Mayor W. L. "Jack" Howard and located in downtown Monroe adjacent to the Civic Center. The 2026 pageant was the 63rd held in Monroe.
Shelby Bordelon of Sunshine was crowned Miss Louisiana 2026 on June 20, 2026, and placed first runner-up at Miss America 2027 in West Palm Beach, Florida on September 6, 2026.
Gallery of past titleholders
Results summary
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Louisiana 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 1st runners-up: Patricia Brant (1988), Erika Schwarz (1997), Faith Jenkins (2001), Jennifer Dupont (2005), Shelby Bordelon (2027) 2nd runners-up: Holli' Conway (2019) 3rd runners-up: Marguerite McClelland (1946), Debra (Debbie) Ward (1974), Katherine Putnam (2010), April Nelson (2016) 4th runners-up: Libby Lovejoy (1975), Linnea Fayard (1991) Top 7: Laryssa Bonacquisti (2018) Top 10: Barbara Barker (1953), Lynda Ferguson (1966), Genevieve Del Gallo (1968), Debby Robert (1973), Phyllis Kelly (1979), Valerie Brosset (1989), Christi Page (1992), Mette Boving (1998), Hope Anderson (2012) Top 15: Louise Moore (1924), Justine Ker (2017) Top 16: Gertrude Rissie Miller (1937) Top 18: Marjorie Hagler (1933)
Awards Preliminary awards Preliminary Evening Gown: Shelby Bordelon (2027) Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Valerie Brosset (1989), Stacy King (1990), Christi Page (1992), Faith Jenkins (2001), Jennifer Dupont (2005), Laryssa Bonacquisti (2018) Preliminary Talent: Debby Robert (1973), Debra (Debbie) Anne Ward (1974), Patricia Brant (1988), Julie Lawrence (2000), Faith Jenkins (2001), April Nelson (2016), Laryssa Bonacquisti (2018), Holli' Conway (2019)
Non-finalist awards Non-finalist Talent: Bobbie Chachere (1957), Cherie Martin (1965), Myrrah McCully (1980), Bobbie Candler (1983), Miriam Gauthier (1984), Amanda Mainord (1987), Stacy King (1990), Karmyn Tyler (1996), Julie Lawrence (2000), Jaden Leach (2014), Meagan Crews (2020), Gracie Reichman (2023) Non-finalist Interview: Lacey Sanchez (2015)
Other awards Miss Congeniality: N/A Miss America Scholar Award: Julie Lawrence (2000) Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Miracle Maker Award: Katherine Putnam (2010), Hope Anderson (2012) CMN Miracle Maker Award 2nd runners-up: Lacey Sanchez (2015) Quality of Life Award Winners: Faith Jenkins (2001) Quality of Life Award 1st runners-up: Heather Dupree (1999) Quality of Life Award 2nd runners-up: Erika Schwarz (1997) STEM Scholarship 1st runner-up: Julia Claire Williams (2022) Show Me Your Shoes Winner: Gabrelle McLeod (2026)
Winners
Year Name Hometown Education Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2026Shelby BordelonSunshineSoutheastern Louisiana University23Miss Louisiana Port City Vocal1st runner-upPreliminary Evening Gown2025Gabrelle McLeodVicksburg, Miss.ULM21Miss Cane River VocalMiss America's Show Me Your Shoes "Best Shoe" Winner2024Olivia Grace GeorgeRustonLouisiana Tech University 20Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival Jazz Dance, "Bossa Nova Baby" 2023 Makenzie Scroggs Marksville Northwestern State University Miss Natchitoches City of Lights Jazz Dance 2022 Gracie Reichman Colfax Louisiana Tech University 21 Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival CloggingNon-finalist Talent Award Previously Miss Louisiana's Outstanding Teen 2018 2021 Julia Claire Williams Kinder ULM 22 Miss Heart of Pilot Dance, "Last Dance"STEM Scholarship 1st runner-upPreviously Miss Louisiana's Outstanding Teen 2015 2020 Courtney Hammons Choudrant Louisiana Tech University 23 Miss Louisiana Tech colspan="3" 2019 Meagan Crews Bossier City LSU Shreveport 22 Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival Vocal, "I Will Always Love You" Non-Finalist Talent Award Previously Miss Louisiana's Outstanding Teen 2014 2018 Holli' Conway Monroe Northwestern State University 23 Miss Heart of Pilot Vocal, "I Believe" 2nd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award Appeared as an alternate in the Broadway production of SIX: The Musical Appeared in the Broadway production of TINA: The Tina Turner Musical 2017 Laryssa Bonacquisti Baton Rouge LSU 22 Miss Shreveport Ventriloquism, "I Wanna Be a Cowboy Sweetheart" Top 7 Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness AwardPreliminary Talent Award Daughter of Miss New Jersey 1990, Lynette Falls Bonacquisti 2016 Justine Ker Ruston Vanderbilt University Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival Classical Piano Top 15 Cousin of Miss California 2013 and 1st runner-up at Miss America 2014, Crystal LeePreviously Miss Louisiana's Outstanding Teen 2011 2015 April Nelson Mandeville OCU 23 Miss Crescent City New Orleans Vocal, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from The Sound of Music 3rd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award Previously Miss Louisiana's Outstanding Teen 2008 2014 Lacey Sanchez Baton Rouge LSU / Southeastern Louisiana University 24 Miss Lafayette Vocal, "Not for the Life of Me" from Thoroughly Modern Millie CMN Miracle Maker 2nd runner-upNon-finalist Interview Award 2013 Jaden Leach West Monroe ULM 20 Miss Spirit of the Ouachita Vocal, "I Can't Let Go" from Smash Non-finalist Talent Award 2012 Lauren Vizza Shreveport Louisiana Tech 22 Miss Louisiana Tech Dance, "The Time of My Life" by David Cook Later Miss Louisiana USA 2018 2011 Hope Anderson Monroe ULM / Louisiana Tech 22 Miss Spirit of Ruston Dance, "Sway" Top 10 CMN Miracle Maker Award Contestant at National Sweetheart 2009 pageant 2010 Kelsi Crain Monroe ULM 20 Miss ULM Ballet en Pointe, "Victory" 2009 Katherine Putnam Oak Grove ULM 23 Miss Shreveport Piano, "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah 3rd runner-up CMN Miracle Maker Award 2008 Blair Abene Hammond Southeastern Louisiana 22 Miss Lincoln Parish Classical Vocal, "Nessun dorma" Previously Miss Teen Louisiana 2002Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant 2007 Amanda Joseph Pineville LSU / UL Monroe 21 Miss Bossier City Ballet en Pointe, "Canned Heat" 2006 Jamie Wilson Minden Louisiana Tech / LSU Law 23 Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival Vocal, "Like We Never Loved at All" Contestant at National Sweetheart 2005 pageant 2005 Molly Causey Ruston Louisiana Tech / LSU 22 Miss Shreveport Piano, "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" by Franz Liszt Previously Miss Teen Louisiana 1999Contestant at National Sweetheart 2004 pageant 2004 Jennifer Dupont Plaquemine LSU 23 Miss Ouachita Parish Jazz Dance, "The Life of the Party" from The Wild Party 1st runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award Triple Crown Winner Previously Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1998