Miss USA 1971

Miss USA 1971
Date	May 22, 1971
Presenters	Bob Barker
Venue	Jackie Gleason Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
Broadcaster	CBS
Entrants	51
Placements	12
Winner	Michele McDonald Pennsylvania
Congeniality	Diane Knaub
Photogenic	Brenda Miller

Miss USA 1971, the 20th Miss USA pageant, was televised live by CBS from the Jackie Gleason Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida on May 22, 1971.

The pageant was won by Michele McDonald of Pennsylvania, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Deborah Shelton of Virginia. McDonald was the first – and to date only – woman from Pennsylvania to win the Miss USA title, and went on to place as a semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1971.

For the 1971 pageant, the number of semi-finalists called was reduced from 15 to 12. It would remain at this number until 1984, when it was cut again to 10.

Results

• Miss USA 1971: Michele McDonald (Pennsylvania)
• The runners-up were:
  • 1st runner-up: Brenda Box (Texas)
  • 2nd runner-up: Susanne Pottenger (Arizona)
  • 3rd runner-up: Nancy Rich (Missouri)
  • 4th runner-up: Patricia Barnstable (Kentucky)
• The semi-finalists were:
  • Karin Morrell (California)
  • Suzanne Pluskoski (District of Columbia)
  • Susan Deaton (Florida)
  • Carol Theis (Maryland)
  • Pat Glannan (Michigan)
  • Sandra Taft (Vermont)
  • Brenda Miller (Virginia)

Special awards

• Congeniality: Diane Knaub (Colorado)
• Photogenic: Brenda Miller (Virginia)

Delegates

The Miss USA 1971 delegates were:

Alabama - Renee Smith Alaska - Katherine Hartman Arizona - Susanne Pottenger Arkansas - Paula Keith California - Karin Morrell Colorado - Diane Knaub Connecticut - Diane Turetsky Delaware - Nanette Crist District of Columbia - Suzanne Pluskoski Florida - Susan Deaton Georgia - Jenny Andrews Hawaii - Deborah Gibson Idaho - Kristeen Riordan Illinois - Paulette Breen Indiana - Deborah Downhour Iowa - Cindy Helmers Kansas - Nancy Bishop Kentucky - Patricia Barnstable Louisiana - Diane Risenstein Maine - Ruth McCleery Maryland - Carol Theis Massachusetts - April Dow Michigan - Pat Glannan Minnesota - Shirley Kittleson Mississippi - Janey Gillis Missouri - Nancy Rich

Montana - Rebecca Thomas Nebraska - Lola Butler Nevada - Anita Laurie New Hampshire - Jane Laroche New Jersey - Brenda White New Mexico - Debbie Clary New York - Barbara Lopez North Carolina - Mary Rudroff North Dakota - Joanne Engel Ohio - Karen Haus Oklahoma - Kim Hardesty Oregon - Connie Oost Pennsylvania - Michele McDonald Rhode Island - Laurie Stahle South Carolina - Eunice Campbell South Dakota - Sonia Hart Tennessee - Sue Collins Texas - Brenda Box Utah - Janet Montgomery Vermont - Sandra Taft Virginia - Brenda Miller Washington - Christine McComb West Virginia - Peggy Tennant Wisconsin - Pamela Martin Wyoming - Kay Heaton

External links

• Miss USA official website