Miss America 2018, the 91st Miss America pageant, though the Miss America Organization celebrated its 97th anniversary in 2017. This discrepancy is due to no national pageants being held from 1928 to 1932 or in 1934 because of financial problems associated with the Great Depression. The 2018 pageant was held in Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Sunday, September 10, 2017. This was the first Miss America pageant to be held in Atlantic City since the Miss America Organization headquarters relocated to Boardwalk Hall.
The event was broadcast by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
On July 24, 2017, it was announced that Chris Harrison and Sage Steele would be returning to co-host the Miss America pageant for the second year in a row.
Cara Mund of North Dakota became Miss America 2018 at the end of the event.
Overview Judges
Preliminary judges From September 6–8, 2017, judges for the preliminary competition selected the winners of the preliminary talent and lifestyle and fitness competitions as well as the top 15 finalists for the final night of competition on September 10, 2017. The panel included entertainment lawyer, Carolyn Conrad; Global Government Affairs and Policy leader for Baker Hughes, Karen Knuston; CNN White House reporter, Kate Bennett; casting director, Patrick Rush; actor, Rusty Joiner; Miss America 1978, Susan Perkins Botsford; and dancer and actress, Vivian Nixon.
Final night judges The panel of judges on the final night of competition on September 10, 2017, included country singer, Thomas Rhett; actress, author, and model, Molly Sims; Grammy-nominated singer and actress, Jordin Sparks; People Magazine's Editor in Chief, Jess Cagle; journalist, actress, and CEO of AfterBuzz TV, Maria Menounos; Miss America 2014, Nina Davuluri; and Olympic gold medalist, Tara Lipinski.
Results
Placements Placement ContestantMiss America 2018 – Cara Mund1st Runner-Up – Jennifer Davis2nd Runner-Up – Kaitlyn Schoeffel3rd Runner-Up – Briana Kinsey4th Runner-Up – Margana Wood Top 7 – Jessica Procter – Laryssa Bonacquisti Top 10 – Katie Schreckengast – Suzi Roberts – Cecili Weber Top 12 – Alyssa Beasley – Caty Davis Top 15 – Angelina Klapperich – Abby Foster § – Taylor Rey
§ America's Choice
Awards Preliminary awards Awards Contestants Lifestyle and Fitness Florida - Sara Zeng Louisiana - Laryssa Bonacquisti Texas - Margana Wood Talent Louisiana - Laryssa Bonacquisti Minnesota - Brianna Drevlow Utah - JessiKate Riley
Quality of Life awards Results Contestant Platform Winner Alabama - Jessica Procter Step Up to the Plate: Decreasing Food Insecurity 1st runner-up North Dakota - Cara Mund A Make-A-Wish Passion with Fashion 2nd runner-up South Carolina - Suzi RobertsChildren's Advocacy: Ensuring the Rights of Every Child Finalists District of Columbia - Briana Kinsey Daring to Defeat Diabetes Kansas - Krystian Fish Remove the Labels: Be Unstoppable Minnesota - Brianna Drevlow Brenna's Brigade: Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Mississippi - Anne Elizabeth Buys Water for Life
Children's Miracle Network (CMN) National Miracle Maker awards Results Contestant Winner South Carolina - Suzi Roberts 1st runner-up North Carolina - Victoria Huggins 2nd runner-up Massachusetts - Jillian Zucco
STEM Scholarship awards Results ContestantWinners District of Columbia - Briana Kinsey Kentucky - Molly Matney Massachusetts - Jillian ZuccoFinalists Nebraska - Allison Tietjen Nevada - Andrea Martinez
Women in Business Scholarship awards Results Contestant Winners Colorado - Meredith Winnefeld Ohio - Sarah Clapper Finalists Maryland - Kathleen Masek Wyoming - Cheyenne Buyert
Other awards Awards Contestant(s) Miss Congeniality Alaska - Angelina Klapperich Dr. Marcia L. Leek Scholarship New Hampshire - Lauren Percy Non-finalist Talent Award Colorado - Meredith Winnefeld Iowa - Chelsea Dubczak Minnesota - Brianna Drevlow Utah - JessiKate Riley
Contestants State or district Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Special awards Notes Alabama Jessica Procter Tuscaloosa 21 Vocal, "Over the Rainbow" Top 7 Quality of Life Award Winner Previously Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen 20132nd runner-up at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2014 pageant Alaska Angelina N. Klapperich Wasilla 23 Piano, "Bumble Boogie" Top 15 Miss Congeniality Previously Miss Alaska's Outstanding Teen 2010Contestant at National Sweetheart 2013 pageant ArizonaMaddieRose Holler Phoenix 19 Vocal, "I'd Give My Life For You" Previously Miss Arizona's Outstanding Teen 2013 Arkansas Maggie Benton Jonesboro 22 Vocal, "The Music of the Night" California Jillian Smith Grass Valley 22 Piano, "Malagueña" Colorado Meredith Winnefeld Highlands Ranch 23 Dance Twirl, "He's a Pirate" Non-finalist Talent AwardWomen in Business Scholarship Winner Blind in right eye since birthPreviously Miss Colorado's Outstanding Teen 2011Former featured twirler at Arizona State University Connecticut Eliza Lynne Kanner Hamden 21 Operatic Vocal, "Memory" from Cats Delaware Chelsea Bruce Manasquan, New Jersey 21 Dance Eligible as a student at the University of Delaware District of Columbia Briana Kinsey Birmingham, Alabama 24 Pop Vocal, "Born for This" 3rd runner-up Quality of Life Award FinalistSTEM Scholarship Winner Florida Sara Zeng Palm Coast 22 Classical Piano, "Fantaisie-Impromptu" in C Sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Georgia Alyssa Beasley Brunswick 19 Lyrical Dance, "When Your Feet Don't Touch the Ground" Top 12Later Miss Georgia USA 2020 and Top 16 Miss USA 2020 Hawaii Kathryn TeruyaHonolulu 21 Jazz Dance, "I Want to be a Rockette" Sister of Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2017, Lauren Teruya Previously Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2012Winner of the Miss Teen USA Fan Vote, earning her a spot in the Top 16 Idaho Taylor LanceBoise 23 Vocal, "So Small" by Carrie Underwood Illinois Abby Foster Danville 21 Jazz Dance to Grease medley Top 15 America's Choice Currently an NFL cheerleader for the Indianapolis Colts Indiana Haley Begay Pittsboro 19 Vocal, "Hallelujah" Iowa Chelsea Dubczak Holmen, Wisconsin 23 Operatic Vocal, "Sempre Libera" from La traviata Non-finalist Talent Award Kansas Krystian Fish Wichita 21 Vocal, "They Just Keep Moving the Line" from Smash Quality of Life Award Finalist Kentucky Molly Matney Center 20 Vocal, "He Taught Me to Yodel" STEM Scholarship Winner Louisiana Laryssa Bonacquisti Monroe 22 Ventriloquism, "I Wanna Be a Cowboy Sweetheart" Top 7 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness AwardPreliminary Talent Award Daughter of Miss New Jersey 1990, Lynette Falls Bonacquisti Maine Katie Elliott Scarborough 22 Vocal, "Someone to Watch Over Me" Previously Miss Maine's Outstanding Teen 2012 Maryland Kathleen Masek Westminster 22 Theatrical Dance Women in Business Scholarship Finalist Massachusetts Jillian Zucco Mattapoisett 24 Vocal, "The Impossible Dream" CMN Miracle Maker Award 2nd runner-upSTEM Scholarship Winner Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2015 pageant Michigan Heather Kendrick Marysville 23 Violin, "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga Appeared on America's Got Talent with electro-pop violin group, Nuclassica Minnesota Brianna Drevlow Thief River Falls 23 Classical Piano, Rhapsody in Blue Non-finalist Talent AwardPreliminary Talent AwardQuality of Life Award Finalist Mississippi Anne Elizabeth Buys Vicksburg 21 Ballet en Pointe, "Viva!" Quality of Life Award Finalist Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2013 Missouri Jennifer Davis Saint Charles 23 Bollywood Dance, "Naacho Re" 1st runner-up Published author of children's book, Diversity Matters Montana Maddie Murray Corvallis 18 Vocal, "God Help the Outcasts" Nebraska Allison Tietjen Chester 21 Piano, "The Phantom of the Opera" STEM Scholarship Finalist Nevada Andrea Martinez Las Vegas 23 Vocal, "His Eye in on the Sparrow" STEM Scholarship Finalist New Hampshire Bow 23 Broadway Jazz Dance, "Another Day in the Sun" from La La Land Dr. Marcia L. Leek Scholarship Previously Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen 2011 New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel Egg Harbor Township 24 Dance, "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon 2nd runner-up Previously Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen 2007 New Mexico Taylor Rey Las Cruces 22 Vocal, "Art Is Calling for Me" Top 15 New YorkGabrielle Walter Clarence 24 Broadway Vocal, "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel Current student at the University of Buffalo School of Law North Carolina Victoria Huggins St. Pauls 23 Vocal, "I Will Always Love You" CMN Miracle Maker Award 1st runner-up Former contestant on Star Search and American Idol Season 10Top 15 at National Sweetheart 2015 pageant North Dakota Cara Mund Bismarck 23 Jazz Dance, "The Way You Make Me Feel" Miss America 2018 Quality of Life Award 1st runner-up Previously Miss North Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2010Accepted to law school at Notre Dame University Ohio Sarah Clapper Louisville 23 Piano, "White Water Chopped Sticks" Charles and Theresa Brown Scholarship Women in Business Scholarship Winner Oklahoma Triana Browne Oklahoma City 24 Vocal, "Summertime" Later Miss Oklahoma USA 20192nd runner-up at Miss USA 2019 pageant Oregon Harley Emery Springfield 20 Classical Piano, "Moonlight Escapade" Previously Miss Oregon's Outstanding Teen 2013 Pennsylvania Katie Schreckengast Palmyra 21 Alto Saxophone, "Listen" from Dreamgirls Top 10 Previously Miss Pennsylvania's Outstanding Teen 2013 Rhode Island Nicolette Peloquin Newport 21 Acrobatics, "All That Jazz" South Carolina Suzi Roberts Pawleys Island 24 Lyrical Dance, "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" by Katie Thompson Top 10 CMN Miracle Maker Award WinnerQuality of Life Award 2nd runner-up Former NFL cheerleader for the Atlanta FalconsEnrolled at the University of South Carolina School of Law South Dakota Miranda Mack Redfield 21 Operatic Vocal, "Habanera" from Carmen Tennessee Caty Davis Knoxville 22 Vocal, "I Have Nothing" Top 12 Texas Margana Wood Houston 22 Contemporary Dance, "When We Were Young" by Adele 4th runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Previously Miss Texas' Outstanding Teen 2012 Utah JessiKate Riley Beaver 20 Classical Violin, "Praeludium and Allegro" by Fritz Kreisler Non-finalist Talent AwardPreliminary Talent Award Previously Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen 2014 Later Miss Utah USA 2021 and Top 16 Miss USA 2021 Vermont Erin Connor Bridport 22 American Sign Language, "The Greatest Love of All" Previously Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen 2010Obtained pilot's license at age 16 and piloted plane to Atlantic City for Miss America pageant Virginia Cecili WeberRoanoke 22 Contemporary Jazz Dance, "Last Dance" Top 10 Previously Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2010 Washington Nicole Renard Kennewick 22 Jazz Dance, "I Love Me" by Meghan Trainor Previously Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2011Previously crowned Distinguished Young Woman of America 2013 West Virginia Tamia Hardy Martinsburg 22 Hip Hop Dance, "Burnitup!" by Janet Jackson First African American woman crowned Miss West Virginia Wisconsin McKenna Holly Collins Waunakee 21 Ballet en Pointe, "Habanera" from Carmen Previously a company member at the Madison Ballet Wyoming Cheyenne Buyert Sheridan 19 Vocal, "Puttin' on the Ritz" Women in Business Scholarship Finalist
References