- Miss Illinois USA
-
For the state pageant affiliated with Miss America, see Miss Illinois.
Shanon Lersch, Miss Illinois USA 2008
The Miss Illinois USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state Illinois in the Miss USA pageant.
Illinois is one of the most successful states in the competition. It is one of only four states to have won four or more Miss USA titles and one of only three states to win two Miss USA titles in consecutive years. All four winners came from the early history of the competition, with their last Miss USA being Karen Morrison, who held the title in 1974. The pageant's most successful years were from 1984 to 1996, when all but two delegates made the cut at Miss USA. That period was followed by many years without a placement, until Jill Gulseth finished third runner-up in 2005, the state's highest placement since 1995.
In 1986, sisters Tricia and Laura Bach won the title consecutively, the first occasion of this in the history of the Miss Universe organization.[1] Later on in 1994 Kathleen Farrell, sister of Miss Florida USA 1988 won the title, making the state pageant the first to have two sisters compete in Miss USA.
Contents
Results summary
Placements
- Miss USA winners: Myrna Hansen (1953), Marite Ozers (1963), Amanda Jones (1973), Karen Morrison (1974)
- Second runners-up: Laura Bach (1985), Nichole Holmes (1995)
- Third runners-up: June Pickney (1958), Debra Niego (1979), Jill Gulseth (2005)
- Fourth runners-up: Celeste Ravel (1954)
- Top 6: Lisa Morgan (1991)
- Top 10: LaVonne Misselle (1984), Tricia Bach (1986), Joan Berge (1987), Gina Zordani (1988), Kelly Holub (1989), Bernadette Przybycien (1996)
- Top 12: Kathy Schmalen (1976), Carla Myers (1990), Kathleen Farrell (1994)
- Top 15: Dianne Daniggelis (1955), Marianne Gaba (1957), Jean Donnelly (1962), Beverly Lacek (1967), Catherine Warren (2006)
Awards
- Miss Photogenic: Elizabeth Curran (1977), Nichole Holmes (1995)
- Best State Costume: Kelly Holub (1989)
Titleholders
Year Name Hometown Age1 Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes 2011 Angela Sparrow Chicago 26 Indiana Pacers Pacemate 2010 Ashley Bradarich Homer Glen 23 2009 Ashley Bond Oswego 24 Chicago Bulls Luvabull' 2008 Shanon Lersch Chicago 25 Chicago Bulls Luvabull 2007 Mia Heaston Chicago 25 2006 Catherine Warren Lake Forest 23 Top 15 Contestant on The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman 2005 Jill Gulseth Geneva 21 3rd Runner-up 2004 Molly Graham Montgomery 24 2003 Agnieszka Zakreta Rolling Meadows 24 Miss Tourism International 1999 as Miss Poland 2002 Amanda Reynolds Marion 23 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2001 2001 Rebecca Ambrosi Chicago 24 2000 Constance Stoetzer Abingdon 26 1999 Christina Lam 19 Later Mrs. Tennessee America 2007 and 1st runner-up to Mrs. America 2007 under her married name, Christina Ryan.[2] 1998 Mandy Lane 21 1997 Jennifer Celenas Chicago 21 1996 Bernadette Przybycien 24 Semi-finalist, Finished in 10th Place 1995 Nicole Holmes Marion 21 2nd runner-up Miss Photogenic 1994 Kathleen Farrell Chicago 23 Top 10 Semi-finalist, Finished in 7th Place Miss Illinois 1992 (Non-finalist Talent award at Miss America 1993), Sister of Miss Florida USA 1988 who was 3rd runner up at Miss USA 1988 1993 Susie Park Chicago 21 1992 Leilani Magnussen 21 1991 Lisa Morgan 20 Top 6 Finalist, Finished in 4th Place 1990 Carla Myers 24 Top 12 Semi-finalist, Finishing in 10th Place 1989 Kelly Holub Buffalo Grove 21 Semi-finalist Best State Costume award 1988 Gina Zordani Palos Heights 23 Semi-finalist 1987 Joan Berge Arlington Heights 21 Semi-finalist 1986 Tricia Bach Elmhurst 22 Semi-finalist Miss Teen All American 1983, sister of Miss Illinois USA 1985 1985 Laura Bach Elmhurst 23 2nd Runner-up 1st runner up at Miss Oktoberfest 1986, sister of Miss Illinois USA 1986 1984 LaVonne Misselle Chicago 19 Semi-finalist 1983 Vanessa Romine Rockford 1982 Carla Danielson Chicago 1981 Leslie Renfrow Chicago 4th runner up at Miss Oktoberfest 1980 1980 Karen Groat Princeton 18 1979 Debra Ann Niego Oak Lawn 3rd Runner-up Miss Oktoberfest 1979 1978 Suzanne Piche Lombard 1977 Elizabeth Curran Park Ridge Miss Photogenic 1976 Kathy Schmalen Oak Lawn Semi-finalist 1975 Connie Reif Wheeling 1974 Karen Morrison St. Charles Winner semifinalist at Miss Universe 1974 1973 Amanda Jones Evanston Winner 1st runner up at Miss Universe 1973 1972 Jani Hall 1971 Paulette Breen 1970 Carol Pepoon 1969 Christine Jalloway 1968 Sandra Wolsfeld Miss World United States 1970, semifinalist in Miss World 1970 1967 Beverly Lacek Semi-finalist 1966 Cheryl Setser Woodstock 18 1965 Diane Gortz 1964 Karen Wiesbrook 1963 Marite Ozers Kirkland Winner semifinalist at Miss Universe 1963, represented Chicago, IL in Miss World USA 1962, did not place. 1962 Jean Donnelly Semi-finalist 1961 Dianne Duffey 1960 Pat Thompson 1959 Arlene Kaye 1958 June Pickney 3rd Runner-up 1957 Marianne Gaba Chicago Semi-finalist Playboy playmate September 1959 1956 Mickey Blair 1955 Dianne Daniggelis Semi-finalist Winner of the 1955 National Press Photographers Pageant 1954 Celeste Ravel 4th Runner-up 1953 Myrna Hansen Chicago Winner 1st runner up at Miss Universe 1953; previously was a finalist in the National Press Photographers pageant in 1953 1952 Sherri Matulis 1 Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant
References
- ^ "Sisters reign, Bach to Bach". Chicago Sun-Times. 1986-02-25. p. 24.
- ^ "2007 Mrs America". http://www.tftj.com/db/delegates.htm/33/Mrs/2007. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
External links
Illinois pageantry Illinois pageant winners Miss Illinois Lois Delander (1927) · Judith Ford (1968) · Karen Moncrieff (1985) · Jeri Zimmermann (1989) · Marjorie Vincent (1990) · Chuti Tiu (1994) · Katherine Shindle (1997) · Jenny Powers (2000) · Erika Harold (2002)Miss Illinois USA Myrna Hansen (1953) · Marianne Gaba (1957) · Marite Ozers (1963) · Amanda Jones (1973) · Karen Morrison (1974) · Jill Gulseth (2005) · Catherine Warren (2006) · Mia Heaston (2007)Miss Illinois Teen USA AL • AK • AZ • AR • CA • CO • CT • DE • FL • GA • HI • ID • IL • IN • IA • KS • KY • LA • ME • MD • MA • MI • MN • MS • MO • MT • NE • NV • NH • NJ • NM • NY • NC • ND • OH • OK • OR • PA • RI • SC • SD • TN • TX • UT • VT • VA • WA • WV • WI • WY Miss USA state pageants Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • District of Columbia • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming
Categories:- Miss USA state pageants
- Illinois culture
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