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 Christiana DiNardo of Rochester who was crowned on August 17, 2025, at the Hilton Albany in Albany. She will represent New York at Miss USA 2025.
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.[1] 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).[2]
Miss New York USA 2004 Jaclyn Nesheiwat (left) visited U.S. troops in Iraq in March 2004. While in Baghdad, she met her sister, Army Capt. Julie Nesheiwat (right)
1st runner-up: Karin Hultman (1954), Mary Rodites (1960), Alberta Phillips (1972), Susan Carlson (1973), Barbara Cooper (1974), Shanna Moakler (1995)[a]
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)
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 38 placements at Miss USA.
She represented New York City 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
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Jackie Loughery, Miss New York USA 1952, and Miss USA 1952
Mary Therese Friel, Miss New York USA 1979, and Miss USA 1979
Jennifer Gareis, Miss New York USA 1994
Shanna Moakler, Miss New York USA 1995. She later assumed the Miss USA 1995 title after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe 1995
Miss New York USA 2004 Jaclyn Nesheiwat (left) visited U.S. troops in Iraq in March 2004. While in Baghdad, she met her sister, Army Capt. Julie Nesheiwat (right)
Thatiana Diaz, Miss New York USA 2015
