Miss Teen USA 1985, the 3rd Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the James L. Knight International Center Arena in Miami, Florida on 22 January 1985. At the conclusion of the final competition, Kelly Hu of Hawaii was crowned by outgoing queen Cherise Haugen of Illinois. Haugen's reign had lasted only 10 months.
Background Miss Teen USA 1983, the inaugural Miss Teen USA pageant, took place in Lakeland, Florida, in August 1983, while Miss Teen USA 1984 was held in Memphis, Tennessee, in April 1984. In August 1984, an agreement was signed between the pageant organizers and the city of Miami, Florida, to host Miss Teen USA 1985, Miss Universe 1985, Miss Teen USA 1986, and Miss USA 1986. Miss Teen USA 1984 Cherise Haugen travelled to Miami in December 1984 to promote the pageant.
Event The 1985 pageant was hosted by Lorenzo Lamas of Falcon Crest and Lisa Hartman of Knots Landing, both for the first time. Entertainment was provided by Kool and the Gang and the Solid Gold Dancers.
The contestants spent two and a half weeks in Miami before the final night of competition, spending their time in rehearsals, visiting local sights and participating in pageant activities.
Results
Placements The 1985 pageant had five finalists and five semi-finalists.
Final results Contestant Miss Teen USA 1985 Hawaii – Kelly Hu1st Runner-UpWyoming – Emily Ernst2nd Runner-UpWashington – Dru Homer3rd Runner-UpTexas – Konae Wehle4th Runner-UpMissouri – Rhonda Hoglan Top 10Arkansas – Rhonda Heird Georgia – Meredith Brown Illinois – Lisa Jessen North Carolina – Kimberly Jordan North Dakota – Jill Hutchinson
Special awards AwardContestant Miss CongenialityMississippi – Chelle WilsonMiss Photogenic Illinois – Lisa JessenBest state costume West Virginia – Kelly Porterfield
Judges The celebrity judges were: Ken Swofford Cathy Rigby McCoy – sports broadcaster and former Olympic gymnast Christian LeBlanc – actor, As the World Turns Ruth Zakarian - Miss Teen USA 1983 from New York Rowdy Gaines – Olympic gold medal swimmer Lindsay Bloom – star of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Eric Van Lustbader – novelist Krista Tesreau – actress, Guiding Light Mayf Nutter – actor, Knots Landing Rebbie Jackson – singer Frank Bonner
Delegates The Miss Teen USA 1985 delegates were:
Alabama - Teresa Cain Alaska - Debbie Eason Arizona - Vanessa Steffens Arkansas - Rhonda Heird California - Sharon Gunther Colorado - Debbie James Connecticut - Kristine Kunst Delaware - Julie Wheatley District of Columbia - Meisha Hayes Florida - Erin Townsend Georgia - Meredith Brown Hawaii - Kelly Hu Idaho - Tracey Shirley Illinois - Lisa Jessen Indiana - Dianna Bullard Iowa - Alisha Black Kansas - Tammy Lampton Kentucky - Leigh Ann Gregory Louisiana - Julie Scimeca Maine - Tracy Smith Maryland - Lynn Bogardus Massachusetts - Maria Ingles Michigan - Tracey Shaw Minnesota - Lana Burke Mississippi - Chelle Wilson Missouri - Rhonda Hoglan Montana - Katie Adams Nebraska - Tina Farber Nevada - Leslye Peterson New Hampshire - Katherine Borski New Jersey - Sharon Turner New Mexico - Teresa Rodriguez New York - Shelley Lown North Carolina - Kimberly Jordan North Dakota - Jill Hutchinson Ohio - Meg Scranton Oklahoma - Julie Khourey Oregon - Olga Calderon Pennsylvania - Kari Bernowski Rhode Island - Chris Pavalli South Carolina - Jennifer Neuen South Dakota - Sarah Bergraft Tennessee - Tammy Woods Texas - Konae Wehle Utah - Susan Nelson Vermont - Wanda Minard Virginia - Alice Robinson Washington - Dru Homer West Virginia - Kelly Porterfield Wisconsin - Maria Kim Wyoming - Emily Ernst
Contestant notes In 1993 Kelly Hu became the first Miss Teen USA winner to win a Miss USA state pageant. As Miss Hawaii USA she competed in the Miss USA 1993 pageant, making the finals and finishing 4th (3rd runner up, top 6 finalist), and winning the Miss Photogenic award. Other delegates who later competed in the Miss USA pageant were: Debbie James (Colorado) - Miss Colorado USA 1989 (Top 10 semifinalist at Miss USA 1989) Rhonda Hoglan (Missouri) - Miss Missouri USA 1989 Julie Khourey (Oklahoma) - Miss Oklahoma USA 1991 (Top 6 finalist at Miss USA 1991) Olga Calderon (Oregon) - Miss Oregon USA 1991 (Semi-finalist at Miss USA 1991) Two contestants later competed in the Miss America pageant: Maria Kim (Wisconsin) who was Miss Wisconsin 1987, and Teresa Rodriguez (New Mexico) who was Miss New Mexico 1988.
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