Winner: | Olivia Culpo |
Represented: | |
Date: | June 3, 2012 |
Venue: | PH Live, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Entrants: | 51 |
Placements: | 16 |
Congeniality: | Rebecca Hodge |
Photogenic: | Alaina Bergsma |
Before: | 2011 |
Next: | 2013 |
Miss USA 2012 was the 61st Miss USA pageant, held on June 3, 2012, at the PH Live in Las Vegas, Nevada and it was televised live on NBC. Alyssa Campanella of California crowned her successor Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island at the end of the event. This was Rhode Island's first Miss USA title.[1] Culpo represented the United States at Miss Universe 2012 six months later and went on to win the Miss Universe title, becoming the eighth American to do so.
First runner-up Nana Meriwether of Maryland inherited the Miss USA title replaced Culpo to finish the reign and was officially crowned on January 9, 2013. Meriwether became the second woman from Maryland to hold the Miss USA title; the first, Mary Leona Gage, was dethroned shortly after winning.[2] [3]
For the first time, a question was solicited from Twitter for the final question asked of one of the five finalists. That question picked by the pageant organizers - "Would you feel it would be fair that a transgender woman wins the Miss USA title over a natural-born woman?" - was answered by the winner, Culpo.[1]
One delegate from each state and the District of Columbia was chosen in state pageants held which began in July 2011 and ended in January 2012. The first state pageant was Florida, held on July 16, 2011 as scheduled. The final pageant was Nevada, held on January 29, 2012.
Eight delegates are former Miss Teen USA state winners, while one is a former Miss America state winner and the other one competed in Miss Earth United States.
Prior to the final telecast, the delegates competed in the preliminary competition, which involves private interviews with the judges and a presentation show where they compete in swimsuit and evening gown. The preliminary competition took place on May 30, 2012, at 10 pm (ET) hosted by Chet Buchanan and Alyssa Campanella, and was broadcast online over Xbox Live via their YouTube and MSN applications.
During the final competition, the top sixteen competed in swimsuit, while the top ten competed evening gown, and the top five competed in the final question signed up by a panel of judges. The sixteenth semifinalist was determined by voting online.
Placement | Contestant | |
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Miss USA 2012 | ||
1st Runner-Up |
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2nd Runner-Up | ||
3rd Runner-Up |
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4th Runner-Up |
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Top 10 |
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Top 16 |
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‡ Voted into Top 16 as America's Choice via Internet
∞ Culpo won Miss Universe 2012. Due to protocol, Culpo resigns her title as Miss USA 2012. 1st runner-up, Nana Meriwether, replaces her as Miss USA.
State | Contestant | Hometown | Age | Height | Placement | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Katherine Webb | Phenix City | 23 | 5feet | Top 10 | Contestant in Splash |
Alaska | Jessica Kazmierczak | Salcha | 22 | 5feet | ||
Arizona | Erika Frantzve | Scottsdale | 23 | 5feet | ||
Arkansas | Kelsey Dow | Jonesboro | 21 | 5feet | Top 16 | |
California | Natalie Pack | Palos Verdes | 23 | 6feet | Contestant on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 12 | |
Colorado | Marybel Gonzalez | Denver | 24 | 5feet | Top 10 | |
Connecticut | Marie Lynn Piscitelli | North Haven | 26 | 5feet | Previously Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2001 | |
Delaware | Krista Clausen | Georgetown | 19 | 5feet | ||
District of Columbia | Monique Tompkins | Washington | 23 | 5feet | ||
Florida | Karina Brez[4] | Wellington | 23 | 5feet | ||
Georgia | Jasmyn "Jazz" Wilkins | Johns Creek | 21 | 5feet | 4th runner-up | Daughter of former basketball player Gerald Wilkins and brother of Damien Wilkins |
Hawaii | Brandie Cazimero | Kaneohe | 26 | 5feet | ||
Idaho | Erna Palic | Boise | 25 | 5feet | ||
Illinois | Ashley Hooks | Flossmoor | 25 | 5feet | ||
Indiana | Megan Myrehn | Carmel | 21 | 5feet | Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 2008 | |
Iowa | Rebecca Hodge | Iowa City | 22 | 5feet | ||
Kansas | Gentry Miller | Overland Park | 24 | 5feet | Previously Miss Kansas Teen USA 2006 | |
Kentucky | Amanda Mertz | Louisville | 25 | 5feet | ||
Louisiana | Erin Edmiston | Lafayette | 22 | 5feet | Top 16 | |
Maine | Rani Williamson | Portland | 25 | 5feet | Top 16 | Later resigned |
Maryland | Nana Meriwether | Potomac | 27 | 6feet | 1st runner-up | Later assumed Miss USA 2012 after Culpo won Miss Universe 2012 |
Massachusetts | Natalie Pietrzak | Boston | 26 | 5feet | ||
Michigan | Kristen Danyal | Detroit | 21 | 5feet | Top 16 | Previously Miss Michigan Teen USA 2009 |
Minnesota | Nitaya Panemalaythong | Savage | 26 | 5feet | Born in Thailand | |
Mississippi | Myverick Garcia | Hattiesburg | 22 | 5feet | ||
Missouri | Katie Kearney | St. Louis | 23 | 5feet | ||
Montana | Autumn Muller | Billings | 25 | 5feet | Previously Miss Montana Teen USA 2004 | |
Nebraska | Amy Spilker | Malcolm | 22 | 5feet | ||
Nevada | Jade Kelsall | Eneterprise | 26 | 5feet | 3rd runner-up | |
New Hampshire | Ryanne Harms | Rochester | 23 | 5feet | ||
New Jersey | Michelle Leonardo | Tinton Falls | 20 | 5feet | Top 10 | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2008 |
New Mexico | Jessica Martin | Las Cruces | 21 | 5feet | Previously Miss New Mexico Earth 2010 | |
New York | Johanna Sambucini | Brooklyn | 25 | 5feet | ||
North Carolina | Sydney Perry | Wrightsville Beach | 21 | 5feet | Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2008 | |
North Dakota | Jaci Stofferahn | Fargo | 23 | 5feet | ||
Ohio | Audrey Bolte | Batavia | 23 | 5feet | 2nd runner-up | |
Oklahoma | Lauren Lundeen | Edmond | 20 | 5feet | Top 10 | |
Oregon | Alaina Bergsma | Eugene | 22 | 6feet | ||
Pennsylvania | Sheena Monnin | Cranberry Township | 27 | 5feet | Later resigned | |
Rhode Island | Olivia Culpo[5] | Cranston | 20 | 5feet[6] | Miss USA 2012 | Later Miss Universe 2012 |
South Carolina | Erika Powell | Greenville | 27 | 5feet | Top 16 | Previously Miss South Carolina 2005 |
South Dakota | Taylor Neisen | Rapid City | 20 | 5feet | ||
Tennessee | Jessica Hibler | Nashville | 23 | 5feet | Top 16 | |
Texas | Brittany Booker | Houston | 21 | 5feet | Top 10 | |
Utah | Kendyl Bell | Sandy | 25 | 5feet | ||
Vermont | Jamie Dragon | Stowe | 26 | 5feet | ||
Virginia | Catherine Muldoon | Virginia Beach | 26 | 5feet | Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2004 | |
Washington | Christina Clarke | Sammamish | 22 | 5feet | ||
West Virginia | Andrea Rogers | Martinsburg | 24 | 5feet | ||
Wisconsin | Emily Guerin | Monroe | 23 | 5feet | ||
Wyoming | Holly Allen | Lander | 24 | 5feet | Later a contestant on Big Brother 21 | |