Miss Alaska USA

Last updated

Miss Alaska USA
Formation1952
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters Anchorage
Location
Membership Miss Universe (1952–1958)
Miss USA (1959–present)
Official language
English
State Director
Troy Michael Smith
Website Official website

Miss Alaska USA, previously known as Miss Alaska Universe, [1] [2] is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alaska in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by its winner. The pageant was directed by Simply Stunning, LLC. from 2015 until 2024, the directorship went vacant shortly after Miss USA 2024 and remained vacant until May 2025 when the Miss USA Organization announced that Crowned Pageantry took over the contest with the new state director being Troy Michael Smith, Mr. Gay World 2023.

Contents

Alaska's most successful placement was in 1964, when Patricia Marlin placed as the second runner-up. Alaska's most recent placement was in 2017, when Alyssa London placed in the Top 10. Alaska ties with Texas as the states with the most wins in the pageant's history for "Best State Costume".

The current Miss Alaska USA is Kelsey Craft of Anchorage who was crowned on August 3, 2025 at The University Of Alaska, Recital Hall in Anchorage. Craft will represent Alaska at Miss USA 2025.

Results summary

Placements in Miss USA

Awards

Winners

Color key
YearNameHometownAge [a] Local titlePlacement at Miss USASpecial awards at Miss USANotes
2025 Kelsey Craft Anchorage 34Miss North StarTBATBA
2024 Brenna Schaake Fairbanks 29Miss Fairbanks
2023 Jordan Naylor Anchorage 25Miss Forget-Me-NotMiss Congeniality
2022 Courtney Schuman Anchorage 27Miss Cook InletMiss Congeniality
2021 Madison Edwards Anchorage 24
2020 Hannah Carlile Fairbanks 24
2019 JoEllen Walters [3] Eagle River 24
2018 Brooke Johnson [4] Anchorage 26
2017 Alyssa London [5] [6] Anchorage 27Top 10
2016 Ariane Audett Anchorage 21
2015 Kimberly Agron Anchorage 20Miss Congeniality [7]
2014 Kendall Bautista [8] Eagle River 21
  • Later Miss Alaska 2016 [9]
2013 Melissa McKinney Anchorage 26
2012 Jessica Kazmierczak Salcha 21
2011 Jessica Chuckran Anchorage 23
2010 Sarah Temple Chugiak 21
  • Sister of Veronica Temple, Miss Alaska's Outstanding Teen 2009 and Miss Alaska Teen USA 2012
2009 Jessica Nolin Palmer 22
2008 Courtney Carroll Fairbanks 25Miss Photogenic [10]
2007 Blair ChenowethAnchorage25
  • Previously Miss Alaska 2003
2006 Noelle MeyerAnchorage25
2005 Aleah ScheickAnchorage22
2004 Cari LeyvaAnchorage20
  • Later Miss Alaska 2007
2003 Stacey Storey Eagle River 23
  • Previously Miss Alaska 1995
2002 Christine Olejniczak Palmer 20
  • Previously Miss Alaska Teen USA 2000
2001 Ivette FernandezFairbanks25
2000 Laurie Ann MillerPalmer21
  • Previously Miss Alaska Teen USA 1997
1999 Anna RubleAnchorage26
1998 Pamela KottAnchorage27Daughter of Pete Kott, state representative for District 17, imprisoned for corruption [11]
1997 Rea BavillaUnalaska23
1996 Janelle CanadyEagle River23
1995 Theresa LindleyAnchorage
1994 Dawn StuvekAnchorage
1993 Teresa GatesAnchorage
1992 Kelly QuirkAnchorage
1991 Tiffany Smith Tok
1990 Karin MeyerAnchorageTop 6
1989 Tina GeraciEagle River
1988 Raun ReavesAnchorage
1987 Shelly DunlevyAnchorage
1986 Kim Christopher-TaylorHomer21
1985 Kari MooreFairbanks
1984 Sherri McNealley Fort Wainwright
1983 Amy HarmsFairbanks
1982 Toni Lynn McFaddenFairbanksMiss Congeniality
1981 Shelly BrunaughFairbanks
1980 Debby FickusFairbanks
  • Sister of Linda Kay Fickus, Miss Alaska Teen USA 1983
1979 Kimberley Fidler North Pole
1978 Barbara SamuelsonAnchorageTop 12
1977 Edith BakerNorth Pole21
1976 Liz StaibAnchorage
1975 Andie Higgins [12] Fairbanks [12] 19 [12]
1974 Cynthia Dickerson [13] Anchorage [13]
1973 Wendy Curwen [14] Chugach21 [14]
1972 Patricia Lane [15] Anchorage [15] Top 12Best State Costume
1971 Katherine Hartman [16] Fairbanks [16] Best State Costume
1970 Therese Press [17] Fairbanks [17]
1969 Linda Louise Rowley [18] Fairbanks [18] Best State Costume
1968 Sharon Long [19] Anchorage [19]
1967 Mary Lou Helfrich [20] Fairbanks [20]
1966 Elrita BlakensopFairbanks
1965 Carla SullivanFairbanksBest State Costume
1964 Patricia MarlinNorth Pole2nd Runner-Up
1963 Nina WhaleyFairbanks
1962 Teresa HansonFairbanks
1961 Judy OnstadFairbanks
1960 Evelyn BlyFairbanks
1959 Anna Lekanof St. George [21]
1958 Elenor Moses [22] Represented the Territory of Alaska at Miss Universe
1957 Martha Lehmann [23] Top 15 at Miss Universe 1957.
1956 Barbare Sellar
1955 Lorna McLeodMcLeod was also registered to participate at Miss World 1955, but withdrew due to lack of sponsorship funds to cover expenses needed to participate. [24]
1954 Charleen Lander
1953 Muriel Hagberg
1952 Shirley Burnett

Notes

  1. Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant

References

  1. "Miss Alaska-Universe Pageant Change Noted". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 6, 1971 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "'Dano' MacArthur arrives for Miss Alaska-Universe". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 11, 1972.
  3. "Meet your new Miss Alaska USA and Miss Alaska Teen". KTVA. August 6, 2018. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  4. Johnson, RJ (April 19, 2018). "'Crowning Confidence'". The Anchorage Press. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  5. Daybreak Staff (February 9, 2017). "Miss Alaska USA 2017: 'I want to empower women'". KTVA 11. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Gullufsen, Kevin (February 20, 2017). "Miss Alaska 2017 talks Tlingit heritage and digital entrepreneurship". Juneau Empire. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  7. Brown, Robin (July 13, 2015). "Renee Bull breaks 'Delaware Curse' in Miss USA pageant". The News Journal. p. 7 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Kendall Bautista". Miss Universe.
  9. Dave, Tirusha (June 27, 2016). "The Road to Miss America – Miss Alaska Kendall Rae Bautista". Bravura Magazine.
  10. Associated Press (April 14, 2008). "Texas Entrepreneur Crowned Miss USA". The Elwell Call-Leader. p. 7.
  11. Mauer, Richard; September 27, Lisa Demer Updated. "Kott, Kohring released from prison, return to Anchorage". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved August 9, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. 1 2 3 "'Universe' Winner Selected". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 10, 1975. p. 1 via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 "Anchorage Contestant Named Miss Alaska-Universe". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 18, 1974. p. 7 via Newspapers.com.
  14. 1 2 "Wendy Curwen wins crown in Miss Alaska-Universe contest". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 12, 1973. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  15. 1 2 "Pat Lane Alaska's Choice for Miss Universe pageant". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 13, 1972. p. 1.
  16. 1 2 "Kathy Hartman wears the crown as Miss Alaska-Universe, 1971". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. March 16, 1971. p. 6 via Newspapers.com.
  17. 1 2 "Miss Alaska-Universe leaves for Miss USA pageant in Florida". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. May 7, 1970. p. 5 via Newspapers.com.
  18. 1 2 "Linda Rowley Joint Winner". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. April 14, 1969. p. 1 via Newspapers.com.
  19. 1 2 "Miss Alaska-Universe to Crown New Queen Tonight". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. April 12, 1969 via Newspapers.com.
  20. 1 2 "Mary Lou's Year Exciting, Hectic". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. February 29, 1968. p. 1 via Newspapers.com.
  21. "An Eskimo Shivers in City Cold". Daily News. January 15, 1964. p. 32. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  22. "Forever Queens| Miss Alaska USA & Miss Alaska Teen USA".
  23. "Miss Alaska". The Times. March 27, 1957. p. 7. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  24. "On the Inside". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. September 23, 1955. p. 4. Retrieved March 29, 2025 via Newspapers.com.