The Miss Montana competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Montana in the Miss America pageant.
Unlike most state pageants in the Miss America system, Montana does not use preliminary local pageants to limit entrants to the state-level competition. They accept at large contestants after an application and interview process.
Adella Harris of Helena was crowned Miss Montana on May 30, 2026, at the Mother Lode Theatre in Butte, Montana. 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.
Results summary
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Montana 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 Top 10: Joanna Lester (1962), Yvonne Dehner (1995) Top 15: Kay Kittendorf (1940), Patti Luer (1948) Top 16: Alexis Wineman (2013)
Awards Preliminary awards Preliminary Talent: Kay Kittendorf (1940), Patti Luer (1948), Diana Pacini (1976), Yvonne Dehner (1995)
Non-finalist awards Non-finalist Talent: Dianne Feller (1966), Debbie Reber (1974), Lilly Cruise (1981), Jenni Ramseth (1992), Laura Haller (2019)
Other awards Miss Congeniality: Carol Fraser (1949) (tie), Adella Harris (2027) America's Choice: Alexis Wineman (2013) Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Janice Frankino (1977), Julie Reil (1988), Mo Shea (2020) Quality of Life Award Finalists: Brittany Wiser (2010) STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Laura Haller (2019) STEM Scholarship Award Finalists: Lauren Scofield (2017), Mo Shea (2020)
Winners
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2026Adella HarrisHelena19Miss Queen CityBallet DanceMiss Congeniality2025Haley Joy TateMissoula25Miss MissoulaMonologue2024Kaylee WolfensbergerBozeman20Miss BozemanPiano - Great Balls of Fire2023 Faith Johnson Helena 23Miss Queen City Vocal "Phantom of the Opera" Previously Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen 20162022Alexa BaischGlendive22 Tap Dance "Runaway Baby"Previously Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen 2017 2020–21 Jessica Criss Bozeman 23 Vocal2019Mo SheaHelena22VocalDr. & Mrs. David Allman Medical ScholarshipSTEM Scholarship Award FinalistPreviously Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen 20122018Laura Haller24Ballet en Pointe, "Spanish Dance"Non-finalist Talent AwardSTEM Scholarship Award 2017 Maddie Murray Corvallis 18 Vocal, "God Help the Outcasts" 1st Runner to Miss Montana Teen USA 2016 & 2017 2016 Lauren Scofield Havre 22Piano, "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven STEM Scholarship Award Finalist Niece of Miss Montana 1986, Kamala Compton 2015 Danielle Wineman Cut Bank 23 Piano, "Pirates of the Caribbean" Sister of Alexis Wineman, Miss Montana 2012Previously Montana's Junior Miss 2010 2014 Victoria Valentine Missoula 22 Harp/Vocal, "I Won't Give Up" Previously Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen 2008 2013 Sheridan Pope Sidney 21 Tap Dance, "Kiss" 4th runner-up at Miss Montana Teen USA 2010 pageantResigned from position as special education teacher in April 2017 for inappropriate Twitter posts about her job and students 2012 Alexis Wineman Cut Bank 18 Monologue, "I Think, Therefore I Am Fat" Top 16 America's Choice Sister of Danielle Wineman, Miss Montana 2015First contestant with autism to compete at Miss America 2011 Veronika Ohlinger Cooke City 23 Vocal, "Alone" Previously Miss West Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2005Assumed the title when Chuter resigned Taryn Chuter Corvallis 23 Contemporary DanceN/A Resigned for personal reasons 2010 Kacie West Kalispell 21 Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl Later Miss Montana USA 2013 2009 Brittany Wiser Bozeman 21 Vocal, "Sway" Quality of Life Award Finalist Later Miss Montana USA 2011 2008 Jennifer Hepner Great Falls 23 Raqs Sharqi Dance Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 pageantSuspended of duties on February 16, 2009, due to DUI charge 2007 Kristen Mantooth Lewistown 22 Lyrical Dance, "Beauty from Pain" 2006 Christie Hageman Billings 23 Classical Vocal, "Il Bacio" by Luigi Arditi 2005 Sophia Steinbeisser Sidney 21 Tap Dance, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" 2004 Evangelina Duke Billings 20 Vocal, "Man of La Mancha" from Man of La Mancha 2003 Amber Shipman Glendive 19 Dance, "Save Tonight" Relieved of her duties on February 27, 2004, due to controversy with pageant directors 2002 Heather Rathbun Darby 24 Taekwondo Demonstration, Music from Mortal Kombat 2001 Kara Svennungsen Shelby 22 Vocal, "On My Own" from Les Misérables 2000 Jana LaBree Ekalaka 24 Miss Southeastern Montana Gospel Vocal, "Because of Who You Are" 1999 Elissa Schwarz Terry 19 Miss Big Sky Flute, "Carmen Fantasy" 1998 Delight Michelle Scheck Helena 21 Miss Missoula/Garden City Semi-classical Vocal, "And This Is My Beloved" 1997 Kristen Garlock Billings 24 Miss Billings Vocal, "Romany Life" from The Fortune Teller 1996 Aubrey Hiller Missoula 22 Miss Treasure State Vocal, "All the Things You Are" Previously Miss Montana Teen USA 1992 1995 Amanda Granrud Great Falls 23 Miss Helena Dramatic Reading 1994 Yvonne Dehner Brockton 24 Miss Western Montana Semi-classical Vocal, "One Kiss" from The New Moon Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award 1993 Erica Havig Billings 19 Miss Billings Ballet en Pointe 1992 JoAnn Jorgensen Helena 24 Miss Central Montana Gymnastics / Dance Previously Miss Montana USA 1991 1991 Jenni Ramseth Billings 18 Miss Yellowstone County Classical Piano, Variations sérieuses by Felix Mendelssohn Non-finalist Talent Award 1990 Karen McNenny Missoula 18 Miss Missoula County Classical Ballet en Pointe, Coppélia 1989 Cathy Brewer Hamilton 20 Miss Western Montana Ballet en Pointe 1988 Becky McRae Miles City 17 Miss Southeastern Montana Vocal, "On My Own" from Les Misérables 1987 Julie Reil 19 Miss Missoula County Vocal, "Being Alive" from Company Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship 1986 Kamala Compton Havre 21 Miss Eastern Montana College Gymnastics Dance 1985 Julie Culbertson Billings 19 Miss Yellowstone Valley Jazz Dance 1984 Michele Larson 21 Miss Rocky Mountain College Vocal, "My Tribute" by Andraé Crouch 1983 Laurie Nelson 19 Miss Eastern Montana College Classical Piano, L'isle joyeuse by Claude Debussy 1982 Kimberly Knauf 21 Miss Rocky Mountain College Piano Medley, "Jump Shout Boogie" & "Sonata Pathétique" 1981 Sue Harris Helena 19 Miss Helena Gymnastics Dance, Theme from Hawaii Five-O 1980 Lilly Cruise Miles City 20 Miss Eastern Montana College Popular Vocal, "I Can See It" Non-finalist Talent Award 1979 Lori Conlon Billings 20 Miss Rocky Mountain College Piano, "Toccata" 1978 Vanessa Ochsner Missoula 18 Miss Missoula County Popular Vocal / Dance, "Yes" 1977 Sue Stanaway Billings 22 Classical Vocal, "The Doll's Song" from The Tales of Hoffmann 1976 Janice Frankino Helena 19 Miss Helena Gymnastics / Jazz Dance, "The Yankee Doodle Boy" Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship 1975 Diana Pacini Great Falls 20 Miss Garden City Classical Piano, "Études Op. 10" by Chopin Preliminary Talent Award 1974 Pamela Royer Billings 20 Miss Eastern Montana College Gymnastic Floor Exercise, "Love Story" 1973 Debbie Reber Helena 22 Miss Helena Vocal Medley & Guitar Non-finalist Talent Award 1972 Debra DeBiase Billings 21 Miss Rocky Mountain College Ballet, "Summer of '42" 1971 Nancy Harper Helena 18 Miss Helena Vocal, "I'm the Greatest Star" from Funny Girl 1970 Jane Opp Billings 20 Miss West Billings Piano, Le Cavalier Fantastique by Benjamin Godard Took over title after original winner, Kathy Huppe, resigned due to pageant officials asking her to stop speaking out against the Vietnam War 1969 Jeanne Meek Bridger 22 Miss Rocky Mountain College Piano, "Toccata" by Paul Ben-Haim 1968 Karen Frank Park City 21 Miss Eastern Montana College Western Vocal & Guitar, "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" 1967 Linda Rhein Helena 20 Miss University of Montana Original Piano Composition, "What the West Contributed to America" 1966 Nancy McLeod Kalispell 19 Miss Kalispell Popular Vocal / Drama 1965 Dianne Feller Helena 21 Miss West Billings Classical Vocal, "Un bel dì vedremo" from Madama Butterfly Non-finalist Talent Award 1964 Merilee Miller Radersburg 20 Miss Western Montana College Dance 1963 Roberta Tarbox Missoula Miss Missoula Classical Vocal 1962 Marsha Thompson Bozeman 21 Miss Montana State College Dress Making & Design 1961 Joanna Lester Missoula 20 Miss Montana State University, Missoula Vocal Medley, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" & "There Once Was a Man" from The Pajama Game Top 10 1960 Lois Marie Volkel Missoula 18 Miss Missoula Classical Vocal, "Voi lo Sapete" from Cavalleria rusticana 1959 Sharon D. Tietjen Great Falls Original Humorous Interpretation1958No Montana representative at Miss America pageant1957 1956 Alice Jean White Great Falls Art The original winner, Marjorie Edmondson, was disqualified as she was married 1955 Bertha Mae Huebl Glendive Vocal 1954No Montana representative at Miss America pageant1953 1952 Karen Whittet Livingston Piano 1951 Patricia Joan McGinty Great Falls 21 Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" from Samson and Delilah 1950 Donna Marie Buls Missoula 1949 Carol Fraser Billings Equestrian Display Miss Congeniality (tie) After her horse nearly fell into the orchestra pit, the use of live animals was banned from Miss America talent competition 1948 Patti Luer Anaconda Vocal / Dance, "Gypsy Song" Top 15 Preliminary Talent Award 1947 Carol Chaffen Corvallis Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" from Samson and Delilah 1941–1946 No Montana representative at Miss America pageant 1940 Kay Kittendorf Missoula Classical Vocal, "Un bel dì vedremo" from Madama Butterfly Top 15 Preliminary Talent Award 1939 Lucille Chouinard Fort Peck1935–1938No Montana representative at Miss America pageant 1934No national pageant was held1933No Montana representative at Miss America pageant 1932No national pageants were held 1931 1930 1929 19281921–27No Montana representative at Miss America pageant
See also Miss Montana's Teen
Notes
References
External links
Miss Montana official website