Miss National Sweetheart is a United States beauty pageant created in 1941 where runners-up from the Miss Volunteer America state pageants are invited to Hoopeston, Illinois to compete for the title of Miss National Sweetheart, and the name of the title held by the winner of that pageant.
The event, which has no official ties to the Miss America Organization, is sponsored by the Hoopeston Jaycees and is held on Labor Day weekend in conjunction with the town's revered annual Sweetcorn Festival. Most contestants placed first runner-up in their state pageant, however second and other runners-up are invited if the first runner-up chooses not to attend. The winner of the Miss National Sweetheart title receives a $1,200 scholarship and a pendant shaped like an ear of corn.
Winning this title does not guarantee that a contestant will win a Miss America state title, but since 1980, five Miss National Sweetheart winners have gone on to win both their state and the Miss America title. Since 1970 there have been nine Miss America titleholders who have competed in the National Sweetheart pageant.
In 2016, the Miss America organization officially disassociated itself with the Miss National Sweetheart Organization. Miss America state pageant contestants were prohibited from competing.
The 2026 Miss National Sweetheart pageant was held on September 6, 2026, and was won by Miss Indiana Sweetheart, Kayla Myers.
Winners Year Name State Later Miss America state title Placement at Miss America Notes 2026 Kayla Myers Indiana Previously Top 11 at Miss Indiana 2026 2025 Anna-Katherine Thompson Louisiana Previously Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival 2024 and 2nd Runner-Up to Miss Louisiana 2025, Later Top 16 at Miss Volunteer America 2024 Kaitlyn Mackenzie Funk Alabama Previously 2nd Runner-Up to Miss Alabama Volunteer 2024 2023 Jireh Gerry California Previously Miss Los Angeles Volunteer 2023 2022 Savannah Jo Stevens Georgia 2021 Ashley Ehrhart Oklahoma Previously 3rd Runner-Up to Miss Oklahoma 2021; Later Miss Oklahoma USA 2022 2020 colspan="6" 2019 Jane Kennedy California Previously 4th Runner-Up to Miss California 2018 and 1st Runner-Up to Miss California 2019 2018 Kaitryana Michelle Leinbach LouisianaLater Miss Louisiana Volunteer 2022 and Top 10 at Miss Volunteer America 2022. Previously Miss U.S. International 2016 and 4th Runner-Up to Miss International, 1st Runner-Up to Miss Louisiana 2021; 4th Runner-Up to Miss Louisiana 2019; Top 10 at Miss Louisiana 2018 2017 Lauren Cabaniss South Carolina 2016 Victoria Humphrey Florida 2015 Kylee SolbergIdaho Miss Idaho 2016 Top 15 2014 Kalie Wright Miss Idaho 2015 Later Miss Minnesota USA 2018 2013 Jordan Krinke California Previously Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2007 2012 Desiree Williams Virginia Miss Virginia 2013 Later Miss Virginia USA 2016, Top 10 at Miss USA 2016, contestant on Survivor 35 2011 Simone Mullinax Arkansas 2010 Brittany Hagan Indiana 2009 Shannon Beam Virginia 2008 Rachelle Gurule Arizona 2007 Erica Gelhaus Ohio Miss Ohio 2009 2006 Kelley Bradshaw Georgia 2005 Adrielle Churchill Arkansas Later Miss Arkansas USA 2010, Top 15 at Miss USA 2010 2004 Monica Pang Georgia Miss Georgia 2005 1st Runner-Up 2003 Kandice Pelletier Miss New York 2005 The Amazing Race 10 and All-Stars Contestant 2002 Madonna Kimberly Emond Michigan Miss Michigan 2003 Top 15 2001 Melissa Elise Clark Louisiana Miss Louisiana 2003 2000 MacKenzie Mayes Kentucky Miss Kentucky 2003 1999 Andrea Lee Bailey Georgia Miss Georgia 2003 Top 15 1998 Keri Lynn Shrader Florida Miss Maryland 1999 3rd Runner-Up 1997 Chera-Lyn Cook Kentucky Miss Kentucky 1998 4th Runner-Up 1996 Stacey Momeyer Arizona Miss Arizona 1997 3rd Runner-Up 1995 Tara Dawn Holland Florida Miss Kansas 1996 Winner 1994 Heather Rae Geery Oklahoma 1993 Megan Welch Florida Miss Florida 1994 Non-Finalist Interview Award 1992 Elizabeth Simmons Oregon Miss Oregon 1993 3rd Runner-Up 1991 Leanza Cornett Florida Miss Florida 1992 Winner Eva Leanza Cornett died at 49 on October 28, 2020, after falling in her kitchen at home on Oct. 12, 2020. 1990 Carolyn Suzanne Sapp Hawaii Miss Hawaii 1991 1989 Mairead O'Connor Connecticut 1988 Debbye Turner Arkansas Miss Missouri 1989 Winner 1987 Melissa Aggeles Florida Miss Florida 1988 Top 10 1986 Carole Lynn Lawson Arkansas Miss Arkansas 1987 1985 Catherine Breslin Illinois 1984 Judy Anderson Arizona 1983 Margaret Marie O'Brien Massachusetts Miss Massachusetts 1984 Top 10 1982 Holly Mayer Miss Massachusetts 1983 Mother of Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2011 and Miss New York 2019, Lauren Molella; Sister-in-law of Miss New York 1989, Lisa Molella 1981 Gloria Gilbert Texas Miss Texas 1982 1980 Elizabeth Grace Ward Arkansas Miss Arkansas 1981 Winner 1979 Bobbie Candler Texas Miss Louisiana 1982 1978 Michelle Whitson Kansas Miss Kansas 1979 2nd Runner-Up 1977 Carolyn Jones Kentucky 1976 Guylyn Remmenga Nebraska Miss Nebraska 1978 Top 10 1975 Carlene McGinnis Georgia 1974 Linda Hodges 1973 Rebecca Bloomer Texas 1972 Jacqueline Barret 1971 Constance (Connie) Susan Hays Wisconsin 1970 Linda Brownfield Kentucky 1969 Mary Lee Nordby North Dakota 1968 Diana Barker Kentucky 1967 Sidney Becker Utah 1966 Vicki Lynn Hurd Tennessee Miss Tennessee 1966 2nd Runner-Up 1965 Diana Bateman Washington Later Miss Washington USA 1967 1964 Judy Duncan Ohio 1963 Colleen Thacker Washington 1962 Linda Kay Rogers Texas 1961 Nancy McCelvey 1960 Marjorie Koehler Illinois 1959 Rita Wilson Tennessee Miss Tennessee 1961 1958 Janice Hansen Iowa 1957 Irene Meyer Ohio 1956 Joyce Riding Iowa 1955 Kerin Kae Okerlin 1954 Joyce Brown Illinois 1953 Sandra Porter Indiana 1952 Corine Javaag Minnesota 1951 Patricia Baker Wisconsin 1950 Janet Rainier Indiana 1949 Joyce Cisco Wisconsin 1948 Joan Edwards 1941 Alice Priscilla Baker
References
External links Official website