The Miss Nevada competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss America competition, and the name of the title held by that winner. The first Nevadan to compete at Miss America was Carol Lampe in 1949.
The competition currently takes place in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Other venues have included Reno, Elko, Las Vegas, Carson City and Mesquite. It has at various times been hosted by the Reno Lions Club and the Soroptimist club of Nevada.
Mariah Larronde of Henderson was crowned Miss Nevada 2026 on June 27, 2026, at Bally's Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. 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 Nevada 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 2nd runners-up: Stacie James (1988) 3rd runners-up: Teresa Benitez (2003) Top 7: Heather Renner (2023) Top 10: Loni Gravelle (1958), Cheryle Thompson (1964), Joan Burachio (1972) Top 16: Tosca Masini (1951)
Awards Preliminary awards Preliminary Interview: Teresa Benitez (2003) Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Kathryn Blaikie (1966), Gina Giacinto (2000) Preliminary Talent: Stacie James (1988)
Non-finalist awards Non-finalist Interview: Elizabeth Muto (2005) Non-finalist Talent: Vicky Jo Todd (1971), Helen Bennett (1973), Sandra Kastel (1977), Megan Anderson (1979), Sonja Nall (1986), Jennifer Joseph-Lier (1996), Tiffanie Story (2001), Ellie Smith (2015)
Other awards Equity & Justice Winners: Heather Renner (2023) Overall Interview Award: Teresa Benitez (2003) Quality of Life Award Winners: Teresa Benitez (2003), Caleche Manos (2008) Quality of Life Award 2nd runners-up: Elizabeth Muto (2005), Christina Keegan (2010) Quality of Life Award/Social Impact Initiative Scholarship Finalists: Bailey Gumm (2017), Nasya Mancini (2020) STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Alexis Hilts (2019) STEM Scholarship Award Finalists: Katherine Kelley (2016), Andrea Martinez (2018)
Winners
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2026Mariah LarrondeHenderson27Miss HendersonVocal2025Abigail BachmanLyrical DancePreviously Miss Nevada Volunteer 20242024Karrina FerrisCarson City21Miss Silver StateLyrical Dance - "You Will Be Found"2023 Taylor Blatchford Boulder City 23Miss Boulder City ViolinDistinguished Young Woman of Nevada 20182022Heather RennerReno23Miss Las VegasVocalTop 7Equity & Justice WinnerPreviously Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen 20162021Macie TuellGardnerville24Miss Las VegasVocalFormer personal assistant to David Copperfield2019–20 Nasya Mancini Sparks 22 Miss Washoe County Comedic Monologue Social Impact Initiative Scholarship Finalist2018 Alexis HiltsLas Vegas 23 Miss UNLV Piano, "Transcendental Étude No. 4" by Franz LisztSTEM Scholarship AwardPreviously Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2008 2017 Andrea Martinez 23 Miss Clark County Vocal, "His Eye in on the Sparrow" STEM Scholarship Award Finalist 2016 Bailey Gumm Minden 20 Miss Pleasant Valley Tap Dance, "Sax" by Fleur East Quality of Life Award Finalist Previously Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2011Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 pageant 2015 Katherine Kelley Madisonville 23 Miss Summerlin Piano, "Etude in D Minor"STEM Scholarship Award Finalist 2014 Ellie Smith Henderson 17 Miss North East Nevada Vocal, "Somebody to Love"Non-finalist Talent Award Sister of Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2014, Amy SmithPreviously Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2012 2013 Diana Sweeney Mound House 19 Miss Carson City Lyrical Dance, "Roads" Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 pageant 2012 Randi Sundquist Elko 22 Miss Southern Counties Contemporary Jazz Dance, "I Won't Give Up" 2011 Alana Lee Las Vegas 21 Miss Clark County Vocal, "At This Moment" 2010 Cris Crotz Mesquite 24 Miss Southern Counties Popular Vocal, "Alone" 2009 Christina Keegan Gardnerville 23 Miss Northern Counties Ballet en Pointe, "Bohemian Rhapsody" Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up 2008 Julianna Erdesz Reno 24 Miss Carson City Vocal Later Miss Nevada USA 2010 2007 Caleche Manos 23 Vocal, "Love Is a Battlefield" Quality of Life Award Winner Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant 2006 Caydi Cole Las Vegas 22 Miss Clark County Vocal, "Blues in the Night" 2005 Crystal Wosik 23 Miss Las Vegas Lyrical Dance, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl 2004 Elizabeth Muto 24 Dramatic Monologue, "Who Will Cry?" Non-finalist Interview AwardQuality of Life Award 2nd runner-up Received Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President George W. Bush 2003 Christina O'Neil Carson City 24 Miss Gold Country Vocal, "Your Daddy's Son" from Ragtime Contestant at National Sweetheart 1999 pageant 2002 Teresa Benitez Reno 24 Miss Silver State Dramatic Monologue from The Laramie Project 3rd runner-up Overall Interview AwardPreliminary Interview AwardQuality of Life Award WinnerMajority Floor Leader of the Nevada Assembly 2001 Ashley Huff Las Vegas 21 Miss Las Vegas Polynesian Dance, "Welcome to Polynesia" Later Miss Nevada USA 2003 2000 Tiffanie Story Reno 19 Miss UNR/Truckee Meadows Vocal, "Ain't Misbehavin'" Non-finalist Talent Award 1999 Gina Giacinto Las Vegas 24 Miss Las Vegas Original Vocal Presentation, "Dreams Were Given Wings To Fly" Preliminary Swimsuit AwardLater Miss Nevada USA 20013rd runner-up at Miss USA 2001 pageant 1998 Anna Carpenter Mesquite 18 Miss Mesquite Monologue 1997 Amanda Gunderson Reno 19 Miss Northern Counties Classical Vocal, "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" 1996 Annette Albertson 24 Miss Truckee Meadows Vocal, "Luck Be a Lady" 1995 Jennifer Joseph-Lier Wendover 24 Miss Elko County/Northeast Nevada Vocal, "I Am Changing" Non-finalist Talent Award Contestant on the E! reality show "The Entertainer" 1994 Laura Hubach Reno 22 Miss Reno Classical Piano 1993 Mitzie Cox Sparks 20 Miss Sparks Vocal / Dance, "I'm a Brass Band" from Sweet Charity 1992 Sandra Dornak Las Vegas 25 Miss Las Vegas Ventriloquism, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins 1991 Malia Winn Minden 17 Miss Douglas County Interpretive Ballet, music from Somewhere in Time 1990 Tia Marie Zorne Las Vegas 21 Miss Las Vegas Acro-Jazz Dance, "Julie's Theme" from American Anthem 1989 Brenda Linscott Incline Village 23 Miss Cosmopolitan Counties Vocal, "Memory" from Cats 1988 Deborah Schuler 22 Vocal, "The Woman in the Moon" from A Star Is Born 1987 Stacie James Las Vegas 23 Miss Las Vegas Vocal, "On My Own" from Les Misérables 2nd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award 1986 Kelsey Kara Las Vegas 23 Miss Las Vegas Flamenco Dance 1985 Sonja Nall 23 Classical Ballet en Pointe, "Kitri's Variation" from Don Quixote Non-finalist Talent Award 1984 LeAnna Grant 22 Vocal, "I Love Paris" Later Miss Nevada USA 1986 1983 Kim Pacini Incline Village 24 Miss North Lake Tahoe Vocal, "You're the Top" 1982 Kim King Las Vegas 21 Miss Clark County Banjo, "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee" 1981 Suzanne Bowman Reno 20 Miss Reno Modern Rhythmic Gymnastics, "Zero to Sixty in Five" 1980 Phyllis Hamlin 23 Piano, Warsaw Concerto 1979 Jeanne Cangemi North Lake Tahoe 22 Miss North Lake Tahoe Classical & Jazz Saxophone, "Harlem Nocturne" & "Csárdás" 1978 Megan Anderson Reno 19 Miss Washoe County Classical Vocal, "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca Non-finalist Talent Award 1977 Lori Isom Las Vegas 18 Miss Clark County Jazz Dance, "Classical Blues" 1976 Sandra Kastel 21 Miss Las Vegas Vocal, "My Man" Non-finalist Talent Award 1975 Sherri Ann Lowe 21 Baton Twirling / Variety Act 1974 Jacqueline Barker Sparks 19 Miss Sparks Popular Vocal, "The Way We Were" 1973 Echo Rost 20 Modern Jazz Dance, "I Feel the Earth Move" Neat As A Pin Award (tie) 1972 Helen Bennett Reno 23 Miss Reno Classical Ballet, "Dance of the Gypsy" Non-finalist Talent Award 1971 Joan Burachio Las Vegas 21 Miss Las Vegas Accordion, "Csárdás" Top 10 1970 Vicky Jo Todd Sparks 20 Miss Sparks Vocal / Guitar, "Time" Non-finalist Talent Award 1969 Karen Wastun Yerington 21 Miss Lyon County Dramatic Presentation, "Lizzie" from The Rainmaker 1968 Sharon Davis Reno 19 Miss University of Nevada Classical Vocal, "Quando m'en vò" from La bohème 1967 Vicky Landeck 18 Miss Reno Dramatic Reading, "Ruth, the Moabitess" by N.A. Truell 1966 Roberta Sharp Carson City 18 Miss Carson City Piano 1965 Kathryn Blaikie 18 Musical Comedy, "I'm Late" Preliminary Swimsuit Award 1964 Ellen Roseman Sparks 21 Miss South Lake Tahoe Comedy Skit 1963 Cheryle Thompson Las Vegas Miss Las Vegas Folk Singing, "My Lover Has Gone" Top 10 1962 Audrey Chambers Las Vegas 19Miss Reno Baton Twirling, Fire Baton & Dance 1961 Sherry Wagner Reno 19Miss Reno Tap Dance, "Oh Them Golden Slippers" 1960 Nancy Marie Bowen McGill 19 Humorous Reading & Piano 1959 Dawn Wells Reno 20Miss Reno Dramatic Reading from Antigone Played role of Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island 1958 Judy Wadsworth Sparks18 Dramatic Monologue from The Lark 1957 Loni Gravelle Reno19Miss Reno Piano, "Piano Concerto in A Minor" by Edvard Grieg Top 10 – 6th place 1956 Carmen Ruggeroli Las Vegas19 Vocal 1955 Vivienne Potter Reno21Miss Reno Dramatic Monologue, "An Address to the Jury" 1954 Janice Elaine Babcock 18 Miss Reno Grecian Interpretive Dance 1953 Jeannine McColl Las Vegas18Miss Las Vegas Ballet, "Something to Dance About" 1952 Bonnie LeClaire WilsonReno 18 Miss Reno Ballet, "Something to Dance About" Assumed the title after the original winner, Sylvia Russell, chose to marry 1951 Donna JoAnn Sollars 21 Miss Reno Vocal & Ukulele, "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?" & "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" 1950 Tosca Masini Sparks24Miss Sparks Comedy Characterization Top 16 – 7th place 1949 Carol Lampe Reno20 Speech, "4-H"1935–1948No Nevada representative at Miss America pageant 1934No national pageant was held 1933No Nevada representative at Miss America pageant 1932No national pageants were held 1931 1930 1929 19281921–1927No Nevada representative at Miss America pageant
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