Miss Florida USA

The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss USA pageant.

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss America, see Miss Florida. For the state pageant affiliated with Miss World America, see Miss Florida World.

Miss Florida USA
Formation1952
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersHollywood
Location
Membership
Miss USA
Official language
English
WebsiteOfficial website

Up until the 2017 pageant, both Miss and Teen state pageants were held separately in different months. In recent years, the organization was decided that both pageants would compete at the same time from 2018 onwards, just like the most of state pageants in the Miss USA system.

While Florida has had number of runners-up, finalists, and semi-finalists, the state has yet to win the Miss USA title. Although Cheryl Patton, who placed 2nd runner-up in Miss USA 1967, became Miss USA after Sylvia Hitchcock won Miss Universe. The most recent placement was Ashley Cariño placed 2nd runner-up in 2021.

Two former Miss Florida Teen USA titleholders have won this competition, and three titleholders have also competed at Miss America.

In 2019, contestant Madison Anderson (who finished first runner-up in that pageant) would go on to become Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2019, and then competed in Miss Universe 2019, placed first runner-up to Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa.[1] On 11 August 2022, contestant Ashley Cariño (who finished second runner-up at Miss USA 2021) was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 and represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2022, ultimately placing in the Top 5

The current titleholder is Taylor Fulford of Okeechobee and was crowned on May 29, 2022. She represented Florida for the title of Miss USA 2022.

Results summary

Placements
  • 1st runners-up: Marcia Valibus (1958), Clo Cabrera (1987)
  • 2nd runners-up: Nanita Greene (1959), Cheryl Patton (1967),[lower-alpha 1] Barbara Bowser (1980), Ashley Cariño (2021)
  • 3rd runners-up: Connie Ensor (1972), Mary-Margaret Humes (1975), Monica Farrell (1988)
  • 4th runners-up: Nancy Wakefield (1960), Randy Beard (1966), Melissa Witek (2005), Cristin Duren (2006), Brittany Oldehoff (2014)
  • Top 5/6: Shannon Depuy (1995), Angelia Savage (1997), Génesis Dávila (2018)
  • Top 10/12: Susan Aileen Deaton (1971), Stacy Evans (1973), Cynthia Zach (1974), April Shaw (1978), Kristen Berset (2004), Jessica Rafalowski (2008), Nicolette Jennings (2019)
  • Top 15/16/20: Kay Duggar (1953), Mariles Gessler (1955), Maria Junquera (1969), Cheryl Johnson (1970), Lissette Garcia (2011)

Florida holds a record of 29 placements at Miss USA.

Awards
  • Miss Photogenic: Shannon Ford (2002), Cristin Duren (2006)
  • Miss Congeniality: Linda LeFevre (1977)
  • Best State Costume: Nancy England (1963)

Winners
Color key
  •   Declared as Winner
  •   Ended as runner-up or finalist
  •   Ended as one of the semifinalists
Year Name Hometown Age[lower-alpha 2] Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes
2023 Caroline Dixon Palm Harbor TBA TBA TBA
2022 Taylor Fulford Okechobee 27
2021 Ashley Cariño[2] Kissimmee 26 2nd runner-up
2020 Monique Evans Naples 28
2019 Nicolette Jennings Clearwater 22 Top 10
2018 Génesis Dávila Miami 27 Top 5
2017 Linette De Los Santos Sunny Isles Beach 24
  • Originally first runner-up; succeeded the title after Génesis Dávila was dethroned
  • Born in Dominican Republic
Génesis Dávila Miami 25 did not compete
  • Davila was dethroned on July 22, 2016, after it was revealed that she allegedly hired outside hair and makeup professionals during the Miss Florida USA state pageant instead of the ones provided by the organization, which is explicitly against pageant rules. The pageant stated it gave Dávila an unfair advantage. She was later found to be innocent of the accusation.[3]
2016 Brie Gabrielle Palm Beach 25
2015 Ashleigh Lollie Grand Ridge 25
2014 Brittany Oldehoff Fort Lauderdale 24 4th Runner-Up
2013 Michelle Aguirre[4] Hialeah 20
2012 Karina Brez[5] Wellington 23 Born in Ukraine
2011 Lissette Garcia Miami 25 Top 16 Semi-finalist
2010 Megan Clementi[6] Orlando 25 Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2006
2009 Anastagia Pierre Plantation 20
2008 Jessica Rafalowski DeLand 21 Top 10 Finalist, Finishing in 8th Place Miss Polonia World 2010
2007 Jenna Edwards North Miami 25
  • Previously Miss Florida 2004
  • Miss Oktoberfest 2000 as Miss Mississippi
  • Miss Teen All American 1999 as Miss Mississippi
2006 Cristin Duren Panama City 24 4th runner-up Miss Photogenic
2005 Melissa Witek Cocoa Beach 24 4th runner-up Contestant on NBC's Treasure Hunters
2004 Kristen Berset St. Petersburg 22 Top 10 Finalist, Finishing in 7th Place
2003 Carrie Ann Mewha Fort Lauderdale 24
2002 Shannon Ford Miami 25 Miss Photogenic Miami Dolphins NFL Cheerleader and a contestant on the third season of The Bachelor
2001 Julie Donaldson Ponte Vedra Beach 23 Hired as the NFL's first female team broadcaster in 2020 for the Washington Football Team
2000 Kristin Ludecke Eustes 23 Style Award Previously Miss Florida 1995; daughter of Miss Florida USA 1970 Cheryl Johnson[7]
1999 Melissa Quesada Tampa Miss Teen All American 1995, Miss United States Teen 1997
1998 Jamie Converse Gainesville Later Mrs. Florida America 2007 under her married name, Jamie Converse-Estrada.[8]
1997 Angelia Savage Jacksonville 25 Top 6 Finalist, Finishing in 4th Place
1996 Idalmis Vidal Miami 21
1995 Shannon Depuy Tallahassee 24 Top 6 Finalist, Finishing in 4th Place Previously Miss Virginia 1990 and semifinalist in Miss America 1991
1994 Cynthia Redding Deltona
1993 Shakeela Gajadha Coral Gables
1992 Sharon Belden Coral Gables
1991 Rosa Velilla Miami
1990 Tricia Hahn Panama City
1989 Jennifer Parker Tallahassee 17
1988 Monica Farrell Jacksonville 3rd runner-up Previously Miss Florida 1985
1987 Clotilde Helen Cabrera Tampa 22 1st runner-up
1986 Kathy Rosenwinkel Orlando
1985 Barbi Losh North Miami Beach
1984 Stacy Hassfurder Tallahassee
1983 Janet Chesser Daytona Beach
1982 Lisa Smith Margate
1981 Valerie Lundeen Miami Valerie Lundeen Ely, 62, married to "Tarzan" actor Ron Ely, was murdered by their son Cameron Ely at their Southern California home on Oct. 15, 2019.
1980 Barbara Bowser Miami 2nd runner-up
1979 Penny Sheridan Merritt Island
1978 April Shaw Lakeland Semi-finalist
1977 Linda LeFevre Gainesville Miss Congeniality
1976 Leigh Walsh Coral Gables
1975 Mary-Margaret Humes Coral Gables 3rd runner-up actress best known for playing Gail Leery on the television drama Dawson's Creek.
1974 Cynthia Zach Miami Semi-finalist
1973 Stacy Evans Daytona Beach Semi-finalist
1972 Coni Ensor Miami 3rd runner-up
1971 Susan Deaton Jacksonville Semi-finalist
1970 Cheryl Johnson Orlando Semi-finalist Mother of Miss Florida USA 2000 Kristin Ludecke,[7] Previously crowned Miss Dixie 1967.
1969 Maria Junquera Plant City Semi-finalist
1968 Leslie Bauer New Port Richey
1967 Cheryl Patton North Miami Beach 2nd runner-up Became Miss USA 1967 after Sylvia Hitchcock became Miss Universe 1967 and 1st runner up declined to succeed the title.
1966 Randy Beard Cypress Gardens 4th runner-up
1965 Karol Kelly Zephyrhills semifinalist in Miss American Beauty 1967, title of usa rep to Miss International pageant
1964 Candance Davenport
1963 Nancy England Best State Costume
1962 Sharon Conrad
1961 Peggy Defreitas
1960 Nancy Wakefield 4th runner-up
1959 Nanita Greene 2nd runner-up
1958 Marcia Valibus 1st runner-up Competed in the 1958 Miss Dixie Pageant
1957 Deanie Cates
1956 Kim Meyer
1955 Mariles Gessler Semi-finalist
1954 Rosemary Talucci
1953 Kay Duggar Semi-finalist Competed as "Miss Miami Beach" instead of Miss Florida USA.
1952 Yvonne Peairs

Notes
  1. Cheryl Patton was 2nd runner-up at Miss USA, but succeeded to the Miss USA title when Sylvia Hitchcock became Miss Universe.
  2. Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant

References
  1. Marcial Ocasio, Jennifer; Cotto, Ingrid (June 14, 2019). "Miss Puerto Rico winner grew up in Florida and doesn't speak fluent Spanish. She says she represents a 'new generation.'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  2. "Joven boricua de Kissimmee gana la corona de Miss Florida USA" [Young Puerto Rican from Kissimmee has crowned Miss Florida USA] (in Spanish). WTMO-CD. July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  3. "Miss Florida USA 2017 Génesis Dávila is dethroned!". pageantsnews.com. Pageants News. 22 July 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. "Michelle Aguirre Crowned Miss Florida USA 2013". Beauty Pageant News. January 15, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  5. "Wellington's Karina Brez crowned new Miss Florida USA". The Palm Beach Post. July 16, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
  6. "Magic dancer Megan Clementi wins Miss Florida USA". Orlando Sentinel. 2009-07-21.
  7. "Mother and daughter were Miss Florida 30 years apart". Associated Press. 2000-07-14.
  8. "2007 Mrs America". Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
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