Miss USA 2003

Miss USA 2003
Date	March 24, 2003
Presenters	Billy Bush, Daisy Fuentes
Venue	San Antonio, Texas
Broadcaster	NBC
Winner	Susie Castillo Massachusetts
Congeniality	Breann Parriott
Photogenic	Sarah Cahill

The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island. It was the latest it had been held since 1986, as previous pageants had been held in February or early March.

The pageant was won by Susie Castillo of Massachusetts, who was crowned by outgoing queen Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia.

The format reverted to a Top Ten who competed in swimsuit and evening gown, although, as with 2002, there was no interview competition for the semi-finalists. This would be the last year where a top ten was called. The following Miss Universe Organization pageant, Miss Universe 2003 and onward, fifteen semi-finalists have been called each year.

Daisy Fuentes co-hosted the event for the first time (although she had been a color commentator in 1995), joined by Billy Bush who would also host the 2004 and 2005 events, as well as the Miss Universe pageants all three years. Color commentary was added by reigning Miss USA Shauntay Hinton. Entertainment was provided by Burn The Floor.

Results

Map showing placements by state

Placements

Final results	Contestant
Miss USA 2003	Massachusetts - Susie Castillo
1st runner-up	Alabama - Michelle Arnette
2nd runner-up	Texas - Nicole O'Brian
3rd runner-up	Michigan - Elisa Schleef
4th runner-up	Tennessee - Beth Hood
Top 10	Hawaii - Alicia Michioka Indiana - Tashina Kastigar New Mexico - Alina Ogle Oklahoma - Star Williams South Carolina - Anna Hanks

Special awards

• Miss Congeniality: Breann Parriott (Washington)
• Miss Photogenic: Sarah Cahill (Minnesota)

Delegates

The Miss USA 2003 delegates were:

State	Name	Hometown	Age1	Height	Placement	Awards	Notes
Alabama	Michelle Arnette	Dothan	25	10 !5'10"	1st Runner up
Alaska	Stacey Storey	Eagle River	25	10 !5'8"			Previously Miss Alaska 1995
Arizona	Nafeesa DeFlorias	Phoenix	26	10 !5'9"
Arkansas	Taylor Carlisle	Jacksonville	21	10 !5'7"
California	Candice Sanders	La Habra	26	10 !5'10"
Colorado	Erin Caperton MacGregor	Denver	26	10 !5'9"			Previously Miss Colorado 1999
Connecticut	Michelle LaFrance	Orange	24	10 !5'7"
Delaware	Cheryl Lynn Crowe	Felton	24	10 !5'9"			Previously Miss Delaware Teen USA 1997
District of Columbia	Michelle Dollie Wright	Washington, DC	26	10 !5'6"			Previously Miss District of Columbia Teen USA 1995
Florida	Carrie Mewha	Fort Lauderdale	24	10 !5'10"
Georgia	Erin Haney	Atlanta	22	10 !5'7"
Hawaii	Alicia Malia Michioka	Kapaa	24	10 !5'5"	Top 10		Her sister, Justine Michioka, succeeded her as Miss Hawaii USA 2004. Later Mrs. Hawaii United States 2004 and 1st Runner up at Mrs. United States 2004.
Idaho	Lana Wright	Pocatello	25	10 !5'8"
Illinois	Agnieszka Zakreta	Rolling Meadows	24	10 !5'9"			Previously Miss Tourism International 1999 as Poland's representative
Indiana	Tashina Brooke Kastigar	West Terre Haute	22	10 !5'9"	Top 10		Previously Miss Indiana Teen USA 1998
Iowa	Linsey Grams	Urbandale	20	10 !6'0"
Kansas	Alicia Angelina Cabrera	Leawood	24	10 !5'8"
Kentucky	Lori Mitchell	Scottsville	21	10 !5'7"
Louisiana	Brittney Rogers	Shreveport	20	10 !5'6"			She won Fear Factor Miss U.S.A 2003 special. She and her family placed 9th on The Amazing Race: Family Edition.
Maine	Lacey Hutchinson	Biddeford	23	10 !5'6"
Maryland	Jaime Kramer	Pasadena	19	10 !5'10"
Massachusetts	Susie Castillo	Lawrence	23	10 !5'8"	Winner		Previously Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998
Michigan	Elisa Kathleen Schleef	St. Joseph	23	10 !5'8"	3rd Runner up
Minnesota	Sarah Cahill	Waseca	24	10 !5'8"		Miss Photogenic	Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 1996
Mississippi	Allison Bloodworth	Grenada	21	10 !5'8"			Previously Miss Mississippi Teen USA 1999
Missouri	Tara Bollinger	Chesterfield	23	10 !5'5"
Montana	Megan Monroe	Missoula	22	10 !5'10"
Nebraska	Jessica Perea	Omaha	22	10 !5'11"
Nevada	Ashley Huff	Henderson	22	10 !5'7"			Previously Miss Nevada 2001
New Hampshire	Rachael Ribeck	Londonderry	24	10 !5'7"
New Jersey	Vanessa Baker	Marlton	23	10 !5'11"
New Mexico	Alina Ogle	Albuquerque	21	10 !5'9"	Top 10		Previously Miss New Mexico Teen USA 1999
New York	Nadia Behette	Bay Ridge	25	10 !5'7"
North Carolina	Kristen Luneberg	Durham	22	10 !5'9"			Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1998
North Dakota	Samantha Edwards	Fargo	23	10 !5'7"
Ohio	Candace Smith	Dayton	26	10 !5'6"			Second contestant voted off Survivor: Tocantins.
Oklahoma	Star Williams	Tulsa	22	10 !5'8"	Top 10
Oregon	Myah Moore	Portland	21	10 !5'8"
Pennsylvania	Camille Young	Philadelphia	23	10 !5'11"
Rhode Island	Krisily Kennedy	Warwick	23	10 !5'9"			Runner-up on Season 7 of The Bachelor. Later contestant on the first season of Bachelor Pad.
South Carolina	Anna Hanks	Belton	21	10 !5'10"	Top 10
South Dakota	Jessica Lawrence	Brookings	25	10 !5'9"
Tennessee	Beth Hood	Cleveland	24	10 !5'9"	4th Runner up		Previously Miss Tennessee 2000
Texas	Nicole O'Brian	Friendswood	20	10 !5'6"	2nd Runner up		Previously Miss Texas Teen USA 2000 and 1st Runner up at Miss Teen USA 2000. She and her teammate finished 3rd on The Amazing Race 5.
Utah	Kelly Chapman	South Jordan	24	10 !5'9"
Vermont	Jennifer Ripley	Burlington	20	10 !5'7"			Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 1999 Later Mrs. Vermont America 2009
Virginia	Mimi Abraham	Alexandria	24	10 !5'7"
Washington	Breann Parriott	Puyallup	25	10 !5'6"		Miss Congeniality	Previously Miss Washington 2001
West Virginia	Amy Thomason	Buckhannon	24	10 !5'6"
Wisconsin	Judy Eckerle	Milwaukee	26	10 !5'8"
Wyoming	Jamie Gorman	Cheyenne	22	10 !5'7"

¹ Age as of March 24, 2003

Historical significance

• This became the second win for Massachusetts in six years, when Shawnae Jebbia won Miss USA 1998.
• This is the sixth time since 1995 a former Miss Teen USA state delegate wins or inherits the Miss USA title and the fourth to win it outright. Coincidentally, Susie Castillo was Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998 when Jebbia won her Miss USA title.
• Castillo was the first Miss USA winner to be crowned with the new Mikimoto-designed crown valued at $200,000, which features over 480 diamonds and almost 120 South Sea and Akoya pearls.
• Alabama equaled its highest placement at Miss USA for the fourth time since Sylvia Hitchcock won Miss USA 1967. Alabama placed 1st Runner-Up in 1968, 1975, and 1992.
• Michigan had its highest placement since Kenya Moore won Miss USA 1993.
• Tennessee had its highest placement since Lynette Cole won Miss USA 2000.
• Hawaii had its first placement since Brook Lee won Miss USA 1997 and later went on to win Miss Universe 1997.
• New Mexico placed for the first time since 1999.
• South Carolina placed in the Top 10 for the third time in four years.

Contestant notes

• This year had the largest numbers of crossover delegates, and equalled the record set for the highest number of former Miss Teen USA contestants. The record was not surpassed until Miss USA 2007 where 11 former Miss Teen USA delegates competed.
• Delegates who had previously or would later compete at Miss America were:
  • Stacey Storey (Alaska) - Miss Alaska 1995
  • Erin Caperton MacGregor (Colorado) - Miss Colorado 1999
  • Ashley Huff (Nevada) - Miss Nevada 2001
  • Beth Hood (Tennessee) - Miss Tennessee 2000
  • Breann Parriott (Washington) Miss Washington 2001
• Delegates who had previously competed at Miss Teen USA were:
  • Cheryl Crowe (Delaware) - Miss Delaware USA 1997
  • Michelle Dollie Wright (District of Columbia) - Miss District of Columbia Teen USA 1995
  • Tashina Kastigar (Indiana) - Miss Indiana Teen USA 1998
  • Susie Castillo (Massachusetts) - Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998 (Teen with Style)
  • Sarah Cahill (Minnesota) - Miss Minnesota Teen USA 1996
  • Allison Bloodworth (Mississippi) - Miss Mississippi Teen USA 1999
  • Alina Ogle (New Mexico) - Miss New Mexico Teen USA 1999
  • Kristen Luneberg (North Carolina) Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1998
  • Nicole O'Brian (Texas) - Miss Texas Teen USA 2000 (1st runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2000)
  • Jennifer Ripley (Vermont) - Miss Vermont Teen USA 1999
• Four contestants later appeared on reality television shows. Nicole O'Brian appeared on The Amazing Race 5, Krisily Kennedy was a runner-up on The Bachelor, Brittney Rogers appeared with her family on The Amazing Race: Family Edition, and Candace Smith appeared on Survivor: Tocantins.

See also

• Miss Universe 2003
• Miss Teen USA 2003

External links

• Miss USA official website