The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the State of New York in the Miss USA pageant. It is directed by D&D Productions.
The current titleholder is Jenna Dykstra of New York City who was crowned on July 26, 2026, at the Hilton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany. She will represent New York at Miss USA 2026.
Background New York is one of the most successful states at Miss USA, and is ranked third in terms of number and value of placement across all the years of competition. New York's strongest run was an unbroken string of placements from 1957 to 1966. The state also had a streak of three consecutive first runner-up placements from 1972 to 1974. In 1954, Karin Hultman was second runner-up to Miriam Stevenson of South Carolina. She later moved up to be first runner-up, as Ellen Whitehead from Virginia was dethroned due to underage (she was sixteen). Stevenson would eventually become Miss Universe 1954, but there was no rule in 1954 that if the Miss USA titleholder won Miss Universe, the first runner-up would become Miss USA. Hultman went on to represent United States at Miss World 1954, in which she also came first runner-up.
New York has the third (equal) highest number of Miss USA victories. They also have the third highest number of semi-finalist (or better) placings (thirty-three).
Seven Miss New York USAs have competed at Miss Teen USA, including one who went on to win the Miss USA crown: Kimberly Pressler and the other inherited the Miss USA title: Shanna Moakler. Of these, only five held the title Miss New York Teen USA; one represented Rhode Island (Moakler) and one New Hampshire (Maureen Murray). Only one Miss New York USA has competed at Miss America.
Gallery of titleholders
Results summary Placements in Miss USA Miss USAs: Jackie Loughery (1952), Mary Therese Friel (1979), Kimberly Pressler (1999) 1st runner-up: Karin Hultman (1954), Mary Rodites (1960), Alberta Phillips (1972), Susan Carlson (1973), Barbara Cooper (1974), Shanna Moakler (1995) 2nd runner-up: Renee Roy (1954) 3rd runner-up: Alexa Currey (1961) 4th runner-up: Arlene Nesbitt (1959) Top 6: Jennifer Gareis (1994) Top 10/11/12: Janet Kadlecik (1955), Patricia O'Kane (1955), Virginia Fox (1958), Jeanne "Jeannie" Quinn (1963), Debra "Debbie" Maurice (1980), Jennifer Mikelinich (1983), Maureen Murray (1991), Wendy Mock (1993), Carrie Tucker (2000), Karla Cavalli (2002), Meaghan Jarensky (2005), Hannah Lopa (2017), Andreia Gibau (2020), Jenna Dykstra (2026) Top 15/16/20: Reta Knapp (1953), Sanita Pelkey (1957), Sherralyn Patecell (1962), Dorothy Langhans (1964), Gloria Jon (1965), Nancy Self (1966), June West (1968), Rosemary Hradek (1969), Christina Tefft (1970), Amber Collins (2011), Thatiana Diaz (2015), Marizza Delgado (2024)
New York holds a record of 39 placements at Miss USA.
Awards Miss Photogenic: Barbara Cooper (1974) Best State Costume: Nancy Self (1966)
Winners Color key
Year Name HometownAge Local title Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes 2026 Jenna Dykstra New York City 30 Miss Big Apple Top 10 Previously Miss Supranational USA 2024 1st Runner-up at Miss Supranational 2024 2025 Christiana DiNardo Rochester 27 Miss Rochester 2024 Marizza Delgado New York City 24 Miss Brooklyn Bridge Top 20 Previously Miss Earth New York 2022 (Top 20 at Miss Earth USA 2022) 2023 Rachelle Di Stasio New York City 26 Miss Empire State 2022 Heather Nunez New York City 26 Miss Sugar Hill 2021 Briana Siaca Brentwood 27 Miss Brentwood 2020 Andreia Gibau Manhattan 24 Miss Soho Top 10Born in Cape Verde Previously Miss Teen Earth United States 2016 Previously Miss Earth United States 2017 Top 16 at Miss Earth 2017 Longest-reigning Miss New York USA at 2019 Florinda Kajtazi Yonkers 27 2018 Génesis Camila Suero Suero Matos Brooklyn 25 Born in the Dominican Republic Later competed at Miss Dominican Republic 2019 representing Barahona, finished in top 15 2017 Hannah Lopa Spencerport 24 Top 10 Currently a MotoAmerica sports reporter at beIN Sports 2016 Serena Bucaj Suffern 22 2015 Thatiana Diaz Queens 22 Top 15Competed at Miss Dominican Republic 2014, placing in the top 10 Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2010 Top 15 at Miss Teen USA 2010 2014 Candace Marie Kuykendall Rochester 24 Competed in the pageant as Candace Kendall Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2006 2013 Joanne Nosuchinsky Hell's Kitchen 24 Miss Hell's Kitchen Currently works as an actor based in New York; permanent panelist on Fox News Channel's Red Eye and panelist on The Greg Gutfeld Show. 2012 Johanna Sambucini Brooklyn 24 Miss City of Dreams Born in Dominican Republic Previously Miss Comunidad Dominicana En EEUU World 2011 2011 Amber Marie Collins Manhattan 26 Top 16 2010 Davina Marie Reeves New York City 26 2009 Tracey Chang New York City 25 Born in China 2008 Danielle Roundtree New York City 18 Also a contestant on season 8 of American Idol, cut in the Hollywood rounds 2007 Gloria Sophia Almonte Bronx 23 Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2001 1st runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2001 Semifinalist at Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2009 2006 Adriana Sabrina Diaz Bronx 21 Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2003 Currently works in CBS News 2005 Meaghan Jarensky Bronx 26 Top 10 (8th) Later Mrs. New York America 2010 under her married name, Meaghan Castaldi. Was contestant on Fear Factor in 2005 on the Miss USA episode #5.29 (3rd place) 2004 Jaclyn Nesheiwat New York City 23 Later Mrs. Florida America 2008 and first runner-up to Mrs. America 2008 under her married name, Jaclyn Stapp 2003 Nadia Behette Bay Ridge 25 2002 Karla Cavalli Mineola 25 Top 12 (12th) 2001 Lisa E. Pavlakis Islip 22 2000 Carrie Tucker Nesconset 25 Top 10 (8th) 1999 Melissa Huggins did not compete Successor to crownKimberly Ann PresslerFranklinville 21Miss USA 1999 Previously Miss New York Teen USA 1994 Non-finalist at Miss Universe 1999 1998 Susan Wisdom Smithtown 24 1997 Ramona Rueter Rochester 26 1996 Keelin Curnuck Levittown 23 1995 Shanna Lynn Moakler New York City 19 1st runner-up Became Miss USA 1995 after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe 1995 Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1992 Semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA 1992 Miss Teen All American 1993 as Miss Rhode Island Playboy Playmate and actress Current director of Nevada and Utah pageants 1994 Jennifer Lynne Gareis New York City 23 Top 6 Finalist (6th) Second runner-up at Miss Pennsylvania USA 1992 Later a soap opera actress, best known for her roles on The Young and the Restless (Grace Turner) and The Bold and the Beautiful (Donna Logan) 1993 Wendy Marie Mock Levittown 21 Semi-finalist (12th) 1992 Christine Elizabeth Beachak Peekskill Represented New York in Miss Oktoberfest 1993, did not place 1991 Maureen Ann Murray New York City 25 Semi-finalist (7th) Previously Miss New Hampshire Teen USA 1983 1990 Patricia Murphy Pearl River 1989 Jennifer Fisher Rochester 1988 Linnea Mancini Carmel 24 Went on to become the pageant director for The CW reality show Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants 1987 Constance McCullough New York City 1986 Beth Laufer West Islip 1985 Lovey King Yonkers 1984 Caroline Flury West Seneca Miss Oktoberfest 1983 as Miss Buffalo 1983 Jennifer Anne Mikelinich Huntington Miss Huntington Station Semi-finalist (12th) 1982 Annemarie Henderson Monroe 1981 Deborah Ann Fountain Bronx 25 Previously Miss North Carolina World 1979 Top 8 finalist in Miss World America 1979 Was not allowed to compete at Miss USA after she was caught padding her swimsuit during the preliminary competition 1980 Debra "Debbie" Sue Maurice New York City 21 Miss Gotham Top 12 Previously Miss Massachusetts World 1978 1st runner-up in Miss World America 1978 1979 Mary Therese Friel Rochester Miss USA 1979 Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1979 1978 Darlene Javits Plainview Best State Costume – 2nd Place 1977 Debbie Martin New York City 1976 Carol Doerr New York City 1975 Sonja Beverly Anderson New York City Later Miss New York 1976 1974 Barbara Gail Cooper Brooklyn 1st runner-up Miss Photogenic 1973 Susan Elizabeth Carlson Schenectady 18 1st runner-up Later Miss Tennessee World and represented Tennessee in Miss World USA 1975 Later Miss International USA 1976 3rd runner up at Miss International 1976 1972 Alberta Phillips Westbury 1st runner-up 1971 Barbara Lopez Yorktown Heights 1970 Christina Tefft New York City Semi-finalist (11th) 1969 Rosemary Hradek West Hempstead Semi-finalist (10th) 1968 June West New York City Semi-finalist (9th) 1967 Wendy Cox Bronxville 1966 Nancy Self New York City Semi-Finalist (8th) Best State Costume. 1965 Gloria Jon New York City Semi-finalist (8th) 1964 Dorothy Langhans Wantagh Semi-finalist (9th) Later Miss New York World 4th runner up at Miss USA World 1965 1963 Jeanne Marie "Jeannie" Quinn East Meadow 19 Top 15 Later Miss USA World 1964 Semifinalist at Miss World 1964 1st runner up at Miss American Beauty 1964 Title for USA representative at Miss International pageant 1962 Sherralyn Patecell Flushing Semi-finalist 1961 Alexandra Stuard "Alexa" Currey New York City 3rd runner-up 1960 Mary Rodites Port Jefferson 19 1st runner-up 1959 Arlene Nesbitt New York City 4th runner-up 2nd runner-up in the 1960 Miss Sun Fun USA Pageant 1958 Virginia Fox New York City Semi-finalist (9th) 1957 Sanita Pelkey New York City Semi-finalist (12th) 1956 Kay Douglas New York City 1955 Janet Kadlecik New York City Semi-finalist (8th) Patricia Ann O'Kane New York City Top 15 She represented and finished in the Top 15.1954 Karin Hultman New York City 1st runner-up Later 1st runner-up after original 1st runner-up was dethroned 1st runner up at Miss World 1954 Renee Roy New York City 2nd runner-up She represented and finished as 3rd runner-up, but later 2nd runner-up after the original 2nd moved one place up taking the place of the 1st runner-up 1953 Reta Knapp New York City Semi-finalist (16th) 1952 Jacqueleen "Jackie" Virginia Loughery Brooklyn Miss USA 1952 Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1952
Notes
Pageant Hosts 2020: Augusto Valverde (television host from Global Child) & Hanna Lopa
References
External links Official site of Miss New York USA Miss New York USA 2004 Jaclyn Nesheiwat on Wikimedia Commons