Miss Tennessee USA

Last updated

Miss Tennessee USA
Formation1952
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters Collierville
Location
Membership Miss USA
Official language
English
Key people
Kim Greenwood, State Pageant Director
Website Official website

The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by Greenwood Productions under the ownership of Miss Tennessee USA 1989, Kimberly Payne Greenwood, since 1992. [1] Since 1999, the pageant has been held at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. [a] [2] [3]

Contents

Lynnette Cole, Miss Tennessee USA 2000, and Rachel Smith, Miss Tennessee USA 2007, are the only titleholders to win the Miss USA title and both previously won the Miss Tennessee Teen USA title. Six Miss Tennessee USA titleholders have formerly competed at Miss Tennessee Teen USA, and six have competed at Miss America. One of these is Allison Alderson, a "triple crown" winner who has held the Miss Tennessee Teen USA, Miss Tennessee, and Miss Tennessee USA titles, competing at all three major pageants.

Madison Kunst of Nashville was crowned Miss Tennessee USA 2025 on June 28, 2025 at the Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She will represent Tennessee for the title of Miss USA 2025.

Results summary

Tennessee holds a record of 36 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

Winners

Color key
YearNameHometownAge [b] Local titlePlacement at Miss USASpecial awards at Miss USANotes
2025 Madison Kunst Nashville 26Miss Madison CountyTBA
2024 Christell Foote Rocky Top 23Miss Rocky Top3rd runner-upBest in Evening Gown
2023 Regan Ringler Nashville 25Miss Downtown Nashville
2022 Emily Suttle Franklin 25Miss FranklinTop 12
2021 Elizabeth Graham Pistole Franklin 20Miss Historic FranklinTop 16Best State Costume
2020 Justice Enlow Nashville 26Miss Belle MeadeLongest reigning Miss Tennessee USA at 1 year, 5 months and 1 day
2019 Savana Hodge Nashville 25Miss Davidson County
2018 Alexandra Harper [4] Brentwood 25Miss Williamson CountyTop 10Daughter of Sharon Kay Steakley, Miss Tennessee USA 1981
2017 Allee-Sutton Hethcoat Franklin 25Miss Williamson CountyTop 10
2016 Hope Stephens Livingston 20Miss Upper CumberlandPreviously 1st runner-up at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2014
2015 Kiara Young [5] Nashville 23Miss Greater Nashville
2014 Kristy Landers Niedenfuer [6] Nashville 22Miss NashvilleTop 20
2013 Brenna Mader Nashville 25Miss Davidson County
2012 Jessica Hibler [8] Brentwood 22Miss Middle Tennessee State UniversityTop 16
2011 Ashley Durham Adamsville 20Miss East Memphis1st runner-up
2010 Tucker Perry Franklin 20Miss Tennessee ValleyTop 10Daughter of Kathi Tucker, Miss Washington USA 1983
2009 Kristen Motil [9] Franklin 24Miss Williamson CountyTop 10
2008 Hailey Laine Brown Franklin 25Miss South FultonTop 10Previously 4th runner-up at Miss Tennessee 2003
2007 Rachel Smith [10] Clarksville 21Miss ClarksvilleMiss USA 2007
2006 Lauren Grissom Shelbyville 21Miss ShelbyvilleTop 15
2005 Amy Colley Jonesborough 21Later 2nd runner-up at Miss Tennessee 2008
2004 Stephanie Culberson Knoxville 244th runner-up
2003 Beth Hood Cleveland 244th runner-up
2002 Allison Alderson [2] Nashville 25Triple crown winner

Sister of Miss District of Columbia USA 1999, Amy Alderson

2001 Lisa Tollett Crossville 24Top 10Previously engaged with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Elliott Sadler
2000 Lynnette Cole Columbia 21Miss USA 2000Best in Swimsuit
1999 Morgan Tandy High Nashville 251st runner-up
1998 Amy Neely Lafayette Honorable Mention
1997 Towanna Stone Morristown 242nd runner-upFirst Black woman to win Miss Tennessee USA
1996 Becca Lee Memphis 242nd runner-upFinesse Style Award
1995 Lee Ann Huey Obion
1994 Leah Hulan Murfreesboro 25Top 12
1993 Camila "Cammy" Gregory Paris 25Top 12The Kentucky native died on January 3, 2003, of a sudden brain aneurysm in Jackson, Tennessee
1992 Natalie Bray
1991 Angela Johnson
1990 Charita Moses Memphis 23Top 12
1989 Kimberly Payne Nashville 21
  • Previously Tennessee's Junior Miss 1985
  • Current director of Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee (both Miss & Teen) pageants under her married name, Kim Greenwood [1]
1988 Stephanie Jane Potts Memphis 23Semi-finalist
1987 Molly Brown Loretto
1986 Karen Compton Lawrenceburg
1985 Martha Browning Chattanooga 24Miss CongenialityFirst deaf Miss USA contestant. [12]
1984 Desiree Daniels Chattanooga 242nd runner-up
1983 Ladonna Friday Jonesborough
1982 Sherly Deanice "Nise" Levy Nashville 21Semi-finalist
1981 Sharon Kay Steakley Nashville 24Semi-finalistMother of Alexandra Harper, Miss Tennessee USA 2018
1980 Diane Hunt Etowah
1979 Sandy Nuismer Nashville
1978 Suzanna Timberlake Chattanooga Miss PhotogenicSemifinalist in Miss World USA 1980
1977 Rene Smith Cookeville
1976 Jana Kerr Savannah
1975 Shelly Smith Memphis
  • Previously Miss Memphis State 1975
1974 Brin Hendrix Counce
1973 Tommye Hooker Memphis
1972 Linda Thompson Memphis 21
1971 Sue Collins Strawberry Plains
1970 Donna Marie Ford Trenton 233rd runner-up
1969 Suzie Richardson Jackson
1968 Sandra Force Memphis 23Semi-finalist
1967 Nancy Brackhahn Nashville 21Semi-finalist
1966 Mary Margaret Smith Nashville 20Semi-finalist
1965 Bonnie Perkins Nashville 23Miss Congeniality
1964 Pat Kerr Nashville 19Best State Costume
1963 Bobbie Morrow Memphis 26Semi-finalist
1962 Gail White Chattanooga 212nd runner-up
1961 Anita Atkins Nashville 25
1960 Christine McSwain Memphis 21
1959 Marcia Daniels Memphis 20
1958 Martha Boales Memphis 23Miss MemphisSemi-finalist1st runner-up in the 1959 Miss Dixie Pageant
1957 Patricia Prather Memphis 18
1956 Stella Wilson Memphis 22Semi-finalist
1955 Barbara Gurley Memphis 24
1954 Barbara Holly Nashville 21
1953 No representative
1952 Jean Harper Memphis 183rd runner-up

Notes

  1. Except 2021, where it was held alternatively in Tunica, Mississippi due to off-campus event restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee.
  2. Age at the time of crowning

References

  1. 1 2 "Producers". Miss Tennessee USA/Teen USA Pageants. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Butterfield, Fox (2001-10-15). "Next Door to Army Base, Pageant Proudly Goes On". New York Times.
  3. Dexter, Jamie (2008-10-01). "Clarksville to host pageants". The Leaf Chronicle.
  4. Brechtelsbauer, Erica (14 October 2017). "Alexandra Harper, Miss Williamson Co., wins Miss Tennessee USA". The Leaf Chronicle. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  5. "Miss Greater Nashville Kiara Young Crowned Miss Tennessee USA". The Chattanoogan. October 5, 2014.
  6. June, Nicole (October 6, 2013). "Kristy Landers Niedenfuer Crowned Miss Tennessee USA 2014". Clarksville Now.
  7. Schmoldt, Eric (June 15, 2007). "CNFR: More than just a cowgirl". The Star Tribune. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  8. "Jessica Hibler Crowned Miss Tennessee USA 2012". Clarksville Online. October 9, 2011.
  9. Dexter, Jamie (2008-10-05). "Dream comes true for one contestant". The Leaf Chronicle.
  10. Veiga, Alex (2007-03-24). "Dream comes true for one contestant". Washington Post.
  11. Bierly, Mandi (2009-02-27). "Jake Owen: The EW Pop Culture Personality Test". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  12. "New Language". The Times-News. 1985-04-27.