Miss Illinois USA
 Shanon Lersch, Miss Illinois USA 2008 | |
| Formation | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Type | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters | Chicago |
| Location | |
Membership | Miss USA |
Official language | English |
| Website | Miss Illinois USA website |
The Miss Illinois USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state Illinois in the Miss USA pageant.
Illinois is one of the most successful states in the competition. It is one of only four states to have won four or more Miss USA titles and one of only three states to win two Miss USA titles in consecutive years. All four winners came from the early history of the competition, with their last Miss USA being Karen Morrison, who held the title in 1974. The pageant's most successful years were from 1984 to 1996, when all but two delegates made the cut at Miss USA. That period was followed by many years without a placement, until Stacie Juris finished second runner-up in 2013, the state's highest placement since Catherine Warren, placed top 15 in 2006.
In 1986, sisters Tricia and Laura Bach won the title consecutively, the first occasion of this in the history of the Miss Universe organization.[1] Later on, in 1994, Kathleen Farrell, sister of Miss Florida USA 1988, won the title, making the state pageant the first to have two sisters compete in Miss USA.
Results summary
Placements
- Miss USA winners: Myrna Hansen (1953), Marite Ozers (1963), Amanda Jones (1973), Karen Morrison (1974)
- Second runners-up: Laura Bach (1985), Nichole Holmes (1995), Stacie Juris (2013)
- Third runners-up: June Pickney (1958), Debra Niego (1979), Jill Gulseth (2005)
- Fourth runners-up: Celeste Ravel (1954)
- Top 5: Whitney Wandland (2017)
- Top 6: Lisa Morgan (1991)
- Top 10: LaVonne Misselle (1984), Tricia Bach (1986), Joan Berge (1987), Gina Zordani (1988), Kelly Holub (1989), Bernadette Przybycien (1996)
- Top 12: Kathy Schmalen (1976), Carla Myers (1990), Kathleen Farrell (1994)
- Top 15: Dianne Daniggelis (1955), Marianne Gaba (1957), Jean Donnelly (1962), Beverly Lacek (1967), Catherine Warren (2006), Renee Wronecki (2015)
Awards
- Miss Photogenic: Elizabeth Curran (1977), Nichole Holmes (1995)
- Best State Costume: Kelly Holub (1989)
Titleholders
- Color key
- Declared as Winner
- Ended as runner-up
- Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age1 | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Whitney Wandland | Chicago | 24 | Top 5 | Chicago Bulls Luvabull | |
| 2016 | Zena Malak | Carol Stream | 23 | Previously Miss Illinois Galaxy 2011 | ||
| 2015 | Renee Wronecki | Burbank | 22 | Top 15 | ||
| 2014 | Lexi Atkins | Champaign | 21 | Previously Miss Illinois Teen USA 2010 and 1st runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2010 | ||
| 2013 | Stacie Juris | Tinley Park | 22 | 2nd runner-up | Previously Miss Illinois Teen USA 2009 | |
| 2012 | Ashley Hooks | Flossmoor | 25 | |||
| 2011 | Angela Sparrow | Chicago | 26 | Indiana Pacers Pacemate | ||
| 2010 | Ashley Bradarich | Homer Glen | 23 | Sister of Carlyn Bradarich, Miss Iowa USA 2014 | ||
| 2009 | Ashley Bond | Oswego | 24 | Chicago Bulls Luvabull | ||
| 2008 | Shanon Lersch | Chicago | 25 | Chicago Bulls Luvabull | ||
| 2007 | Mia Heaston | Chicago | 25 | |||
| 2006 | Catherine Warren | Lake Forest | 23 | Top 15 | Contestant on The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman | |
| 2005 | Jill Gulseth | Geneva | 21 | 3rd runner-up | ||
| 2004 | Molly Graham | Montgomery | 24 | |||
| 2003 | Agnieszka Zakreta | Rolling Meadows | 24 | Miss Tourism International 1999 as Miss Polonia | ||
| 2002 | Amanda Reynolds | Marion | 23 | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2001 | ||
| 2001 | Rebecca Ambrosi | Chicago | 24 | |||
| 2000 | Constance Stoetzer | Abingdon | 26 | |||
| 1999 | Christina Lam | Makanda | 19 | Later Mrs. Tennessee America 2007 and 1st runner-up to Mrs. America 2007 under her married name, Christina Ryan | ||
| 1998 | Mandy Lane | Elizabethtown | 21 | Contestant in Fear Factor USA Christmas Edition (4th place) & Fear Factor USA Second Chance Episode (2nd place) | ||
| 1997 | Jennifer Salinas | South Holland | 21 | |||
| 1996 | Bernadette Przybycien | Chicago | 24 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1995 | Nichole Holmes | Marion | 20 | 2nd runner-up | Miss Photogenic | |
| 1994 | Kathleen Farrell | Chicago | 24 | Top 10 Semi-finalist | Miss Illinois 1992 (Non-finalist Talent award at Miss America 1993), Sister of Miss Florida USA 1988 who was 3rd runner up at Miss USA 1988 | |
| 1993 | Susie Park | Chicago | 25 | |||
| 1992 | Leilani Magnussen | Glendale Heights | 21 | |||
| 1991 | Lisa Morgan | Inverness | 21 | Top 6 Finalist | ||
| 1990 | Karla Myers | Chicago | 22 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1989 | Kelly Holub | Buffalo Grove | 22 | Semi-finalist | Best State Costume award | |
| 1988 | Gina Zordani | Palos Heights | 23 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1987 | Joan Berge | Arlington Heights | 21 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1986 | Tricia Bach | Elmhurst | 22 | Semi-finalist | Miss Teen All American 1983, sister of Miss Illinois USA 1985 | |
| 1985 | Laura Bach | Elmhurst | 23 | 2nd Runner-up | 1st runner up at Miss Oktoberfest 1986, sister of Miss Illinois USA 1986 | |
| 1984 | LaVonne Misselle | Toluca | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1983 | Vanessa Romine | Rockford | 24 | |||
| 1982 | Carla Danielson | Chicago | 21 | |||
| 1981 | Leslie Renfrow | Chicago | 21 | 4th runner up at Miss Oktoberfest 1980 | ||
| 1980 | Karen Groat | Princeton | 18 | |||
| 1979 | Debra Niego | Oak Lawn | 20 | 3rd Runner-up | Miss Oktoberfest 1979 | |
| 1978 | Suzanne Piche | Lombard | 22 | Represented Illinois in the 1974 Miss World USA pageant | ||
| 1977 | Elizabeth Curran | Park Ridge | 21 | Miss Photogenic | ||
| 1976 | Kathy Schmalen | Oak Lawn | 18 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1975 | Connie Reif | Wheeling | 18 | |||
| 1974 | Karen Morrison | St. Charles | 19 | Miss USA 1974 | Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1974 | |
| 1973 | Amanda Jones | Evanston | 22 | Miss USA 1973 | 1st runner up at Miss Universe 1973 | |
| 1972 | Jani Hall | Big Rock | 21 | |||
| 1971 | Paulette Breen | Chicago | 24 | |||
| 1970 | Carol Pepoon | Skokie | 18 | |||
| 1969 | Christine Jalloway | Chicago | 23 | |||
| 1968 | Sandra Wolsfeld | Wheaton | 21 | Miss World United States 1970, semifinalist in Miss World 1970 | ||
| 1967 | Beverly Lacek | Chicago | 23 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1966 | Cheryl Setser | Woodstock | 19 | |||
| 1965 | Diane Gortz | Schiller Park | 18 | |||
| 1964 | Karen Wiesbrook | Wheaton | 18 | |||
| 1963 | Marite Ozers | Chicago | 19 | Miss USA 1963 | Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1963, represented Chicago, IL in Miss World USA 1962, did not place. | |
| 1962 | Jean Donnelly | Dekalb | 20 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1961 | Dianne Duffey | Elmhurst | 19 | |||
| 1960 | Patricia Thompson | Chicago | 21 | |||
| 1959 | Arlene Kaye | Western Springs | 19 | |||
| 1958 | June Pickney | Chicago | 22 | 3rd Runner-up | ||
| 1957 | Marianne Gaba | Chicago | 18 | Semi-finalist | Playboy playmate September 1959 | |
| 1956 | Muriel Blair | Chicago | 23 | |||
| 1955 | Betty Daniggelis | Chicago | 18 | Semi-finalist | Winner of the 1955 National Press Photographers Pageant | |
| 1954 | Celeste Ravel | Chicago | 23 | 4th Runner-up | ||
| 1953 | Myrna Hansen | Chicago | 17 | Miss USA 1953 | 1st runner up at Miss Universe 1953; had been a finalist in the National Press Photographers pageant in 1953 | |
| 1952 | Sherry Matulis | Peoria | 19 |
1 Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant
References
- ↑ "Sisters reign, Bach to Bach". Chicago Sun-Times. 1986-02-25. p. 24.
External links
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