Miss USA 2012 was the 61st Miss USA pageant, held on June 3, 2012, at The AXIS, located inside the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada, and it was televised live on NBC. Alyssa Campanella of California crowned her successor Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island at the end of the event. This was Rhode Island's first Miss USA title. Culpo represented the United States at Miss Universe 2012 six months later and went on to win the Miss Universe title, becoming the eighth American to do so.
After Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe 2012, as a customary, first runner-up Nana Meriwether of Maryland inherited the Miss USA title and was officially crowned on January 9, 2013. Meriwether became the second woman from Maryland to hold the Miss USA title; the first, Mary Leona Gage, was dethroned shortly after winning.
For the first time, a question was solicited from Twitter for the final question asked of one of the five finalists. That question picked by the pageant organizers - "Would you feel it would be fair that a transgender woman wins the Miss USA title over a natural-born woman?" - was answered by the winner, Culpo.
Background Selection of contestants One delegate from each state and the District of Columbia was chosen in state pageants held which began in July 2011 and ended in January 2012. The first state pageant was Florida, held on July 16, 2011, as scheduled. The final pageant was Nevada, held on January 29, 2012.
Eight delegates are former Miss Teen USA state winners, while one is a former Miss America state winner and the other one competed in Miss Earth United States.
Preliminary round Prior to the final telecast, the delegates competed in the preliminary competition, which involves private interviews with the judges and a presentation show where they compete in swimsuit and evening gown. The preliminary competition took place on May 30, 2012, at 10 pm (ET) hosted by Chet Buchanan and Alyssa Campanella, and was broadcast online over Xbox Live via their YouTube and MSN applications.
Finals During the final competition, the top sixteen competed in swimsuit, while the top ten competed evening gown, and the top five competed in the final question signed up by a panel of judges. The sixteenth semifinalist was determined by voting online.
Results
Placements PlacementContestantMiss USA 2012 – Olivia Culpo1st Runner-Up – Nana Meriwether ∞2nd Runner-Up – Audrey Bolte3rd Runner-Up – Jade Kelsall4th Runner-Up – Jazz WilkinsTop 10 – Katherine Webb – Marybel Gonzalez – Michelle Leonardo – Lauren Lundeen – Brittany BookerTop 16 – Kelsey Dow ‡ – Erin Edmiston – Rani Williamson – Kristen Danyal – Erika Powell – Jessica Hibler ‡ Voted into Top 16 as America's Choice via Internet
∞ Culpo won Miss Universe 2012. Due to protocol, Culpo relinquished her title as Miss USA 2012. 1st runner-up, Nana Meriwether, succeeded her as Miss USA.
Delegates State/district Contestant Hometown Age Height Placement Notes Alabama Katherine Webb Phenix City 23 Top 10 Contestant in Splash Alaska Jessica Kazmierczak Salcha 22 Arizona Erika Frantzve Scottsdale 23 Now known as Erika Kirk Arkansas Kelsey Dow Jonesboro 21 Top 16 California Natalie Pack Palos Verdes 23 Contestant on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 12 Colorado Marybel Gonzalez Denver 24 Top 10 Connecticut Marie Lynn Piscitelli North Haven 26 Previously Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2001 Delaware Krista Clausen Georgetown 19 District of Columbia Monique Tompkins Washington 23 Florida Karina Brez Wellington 23 Georgia Jasmyn "Jazz" Wilkins Johns Creek 21 4th runner-up Daughter of former basketball player Gerald Wilkins and brother of Damien Wilkins Hawaii Brandie Cazimero Kaneohe 26 Idaho Erna Palic Boise 25 Illinois Ashley Hooks Flossmoor 25 Indiana Megan Myrehn Carmel 21 Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 2008 Iowa Rebecca Hodge Iowa City 22 Kansas Gentry Miller Overland Park 24 Previously Miss Kansas Teen USA 2006 Kentucky Amanda Mertz Louisville 25 Louisiana Erin Edmiston Lafayette 22 Top 16 Maine Rani Williamson Portland 25 Top 16 Later resigned Maryland Nana Meriwether Potomac 27 1st runner-up Later assumed Miss USA 2012 after Culpo won Miss Universe 2012 Massachusetts Natalie Pietrzak Boston 26 Michigan Kristen Danyal Detroit 21 Top 16 Previously Miss Michigan Teen USA 2009 Minnesota Nitaya Panemalaythong Savage 26 Born in Thailand Mississippi Myverick Garcia Hattiesburg 22 Missouri Katie Kearney St. Louis 23 Montana Autumn Muller Billings 25 Previously Miss Montana Teen USA 2004 Nebraska Amy Spilker Malcolm 22 Nevada Jade Kelsall Eneterprise 26 3rd runner-up New Hampshire Ryanne Harms Rochester 23 New Jersey Michelle Leonardo Tinton Falls 20 Top 10 Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2008 New Mexico Jessica Martin Las Cruces 21 Previously Miss New Mexico Earth 2010 New York Johanna Sambucini Brooklyn 25 North Carolina Sydney Perry Wrightsville Beach 21 Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2008 North Dakota Jaci Stofferahn Fargo 23 Ohio Audrey Bolte Batavia 23 2nd runner-up Oklahoma Lauren Lundeen Edmond 20 Top 10 Oregon Alaina Bergsma Eugene 22 Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin Cranberry Township 27 Later resigned Rhode Island Olivia CulpoMiss Rhode Island, Cranston's Olivia Culpo, wins Miss USA pageant Cranston 20 Miss USA 2012 Later Miss Universe 2012 South Carolina Erika Powell Greenville 27 Top 16 Previously Miss South Carolina 2005 South Dakota Taylor Neisen Rapid City 20 Tennessee Jessica Hibler Nashville 23 Top 16 Texas Brittany Booker Houston 21 Top 10 Utah Kendyl Bell Sandy 25 Vermont Jamie Dragon Stowe 26 Virginia Catherine Muldoon Virginia Beach 26 Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2004 Washington Christina ClarkeSammamish 22 West Virginia Andrea Rogers Martinsburg 24 Wisconsin Emily GuerinMonroe 23 Wyoming Holly AllenLander24 Later a contestant on Big Brother 21
Notes
References
External links Miss USA official website