The Miss Minnesota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss USA pageant. It was directed by Future Productions based in Savage, Minnesota since its inception in 1995 to 2024, which also directs the state pageants for Colorado, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Barbara Elaine Peterson was the first Miss Minnesota USA to be crowned Miss USA (in 1976), and was also the first Miss USA to not place in the Miss Universe pageant. Her sister, Polly Peterson Bowles, was Miss Minnesota USA 1981.

In 2016, Halima Aden became the first contestant to compete wearing a burkini, and the first to wear a hijab the entire time. In 2017, Mikayla Holmgren was the first woman with Down syndrome to compete in a statewide Miss USA pageant.

The current titleholder is of Prior Lake was crowned Miss Minnesota USA on May 30, 2026, at The Franklin Center in Des Moines. She will represent Minnesota at Miss USA 2026.

Gallery of titleholders

Results summary Placements Miss USA: Barbara Peterson (1976) 2nd runners-up: Deborah Cossette (1977), Meridith Gould (2017) 3rd runner-up: Lanore Van Buren (2002) 4th runner-up: Kari Lee Johnson (1985) Top 6: Angelique de Maison (1995) Top 10/12: Jodell Stirmlinger (1952), Carla Reid Peterson (1980), Jolene Stavrakis (1994), Madeline Helget (2022) Top 15/19/20: Mary Ann Papke (1953), Dawn Joyce (1954), Kaylee Unverzagt (2008), Erica Nego (2009), Haley O'Brien (2014), Cat Stanley (2019), Rachel Betterley (2026)

Minnesota holds a record of 17 placements at Miss USA.

Awards Miss Congeniality: Elizabeth Jane Carroll (1965), Janet Tveita (1990), Dottie Cannon (2006) Miss Photogenic: Paige Swenson (2000), Sarah Cahill (2003)

Winners

Color key

Year Name Hometown Age1 Local title Placement Special awards Notes 2026 Rachel Mariew Betterley Cook 35 Top 20 Previously Miss Minnesota 2015 under her maiden name Rachel Latuff 2025 Megan Rivera Prior Lake 25 Miss Prior Lake 2024 Muna Ali Saint Paul 27 Miss Minnesota City 2023 Sarah Anderson Maple Grove 20 Miss Maple Grove 2022 Madeline Helget Clearwater 24 Miss Clearwater Top 12 2021 Katarina Spasojevic Minnetonka 20 Miss Minnetonka Shortest reigning Miss Minnesota USA () 2020 Taylor Fondie Ham Lake 22 Former Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader Longest reigning Miss Minnesota USA ()2019 Catherine Elizabeth "Cat" Stanley Bloomington 23 Top 15 Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2014 2018 Kalie Kathleen Wright Eagle Bend 24 Previously National Sweetheart 2014 Previously Miss Idaho 2015 2017 Meridith Louise Gould Minneapolis 22 2nd Runner-Up Previously Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2012 Previously Miss South Dakota 2014 Eligible as a student of University of Minnesota at the time of crowning 2016 Bridget Lee Jacobs Maple Grove 20 2015 Jessica Lynn Scheu Prior Lake 23 2014 Haley Baylee O'Brien Excelsior 21 Top 20 Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2010 Previously Miss Collegiate America 2012 2013 Danielle Grace Hooper Inver Grove Heights 20 2012 Nitaya Panemalaythong Savage 26 Born in Thailand 2011 Brittany Lee Thelemann Plymouth 23 Cousin of Olivia Herbert, Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2019 2010 Courtney Kay Basara Duluth 20 2009 Yayra Erica Nego Plymouth 24 Top 15 (12th place) Later Miss Universe Ghana 2011 2008 Kaylee Unverzagt Eagan 20 Top 15 (15th place) 2007 Alla Igorevna Ilushka Eden Prairie 22 Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2002 and Top 10 at Miss Teen USA 2002 2006 Dottie Cannon Eagan 22 Miss Congeniality 2005 Carrie Lee Sebeka 25 2004 Jessica Dereschuk Stacy 20 2003 Sarah Mae Cahill Waseca 24 Miss Photogenic Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 1996 2002 Lanore VanBuren Edina 26 3rd Runner-Up Bluepoint Apparel Swimsuit and Fitness Award 2001 Anne Marie Catherine Clausen Golden Valley 23 2000 Paige Swenson Fridley 24 Miss Photogenic Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 1994 1999 Crystal VanDenBerg Brooklyn Center 19 1998 Josan Howell Hengen Eden Prairie 19 1997 Melissa Hall Minneapolis 1996 Karin Smith Brooklyn Park 25 1995 Angelique de Maison St. Louis Park Finalist (5th place) 1994 Jolene Stravrakis Burnsville Semifinalist (10th place) 1993 Kristi Bennecke Anoka 1992 Amber Rue Minneapolis 1991 April Ann Herke Eden Prairie 1990 Janet Tveita Minneapolis Miss Congeniality 1989 Julie Knutson Crystal 22 1988 Sue Bolich Mound N/A2 Jolene Stavrakis Apple Valley N/A2 Julie Ann Nelson Bloomington 20 1987 Christine Ann Rosenberger South St. Paul 20 1986 Cynthia Jane Peterson Edina 1985 Kari Lee Johnson Minneapolis 20 4th Runner-Up 1984 Martha Kay Mork Edina 22 1983 Carolyn Mattson New Hope 22 1982 Lori Jean Kmetz New Brighton 21 1981 Polly Peterson Edina 22 Sister of Barbara Peterson, Miss USA 1976 1980 Carla Reid Peterson Albert Lea 19 Top 12 1979 Cynthia Sue Lee Saint Paul 21 1978 Janey Lee Gohl St. Cloud 1977 Deborah Jean "Debra" Cossette Minneapolis 2nd Runner-Up 1976 Barbara Elaine Peterson Edina Miss USA 1976 Sister of Polly Peterson, Miss Minnesota USA 1981 Non-semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1976 1975 Dawn Carol LaMotte St. Paul 1974 Gayle Johnson Minneapolis 1973 Cyndi James 1972 Darlene Koskiniemi Roseville 1971 Shirley Kittleson Sherburn 23 1970 Sally Strickland St. Paul 1969 Laureen Darling Minneapolis 1968 Arlene Larson 1967 Betty Ann Brewer Richfield 1966 Patricia Thatcher Austin 1965 Elizabeth Jane Carroll Bloomington Miss Congeniality 1960-64 No Representative 1959 Muriel Fairbanks Minneapolis 23 1958 Sue Bouchard Minneapolis 19 1957 Mary Margaret Ford Minneapolis 18 1956 Marilyn Johnson Minneapolis 18 1955 Sally Ann Colombo Stillwater 18 1954 Dawn Joyce Minneapolis 20 Semifinalist (Top 19) 1953 Mary Ann Papke Minneapolis 20 Semifinalist (Top 20) 1952 Jodell Stirmlinger Saint Paul Semifinalist (Top 10) 1 Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant 2 Contestant resigned title before the Miss USA pageant

References

External links

Miss Minnesota-USA 2009 Official Website