Miss Tennessee USA

"Hailey Brown" redirects here. For the ice hockey player born Hailey Browne, see Harrison Browne.
For the state pageant affiliated with Miss America, see Miss Tennessee.

Miss Tennessee USA
Formation1952
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersCollierville
Location
MembershipMiss USA
Official language
English
Key people
Kim Greenwood, State Pageant Director
WebsiteOfficial 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]

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.

Christell Foote was crowned Miss Tennessee USA 2024 on March 9, 2024 at the Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She will represent Tennessee for the title of Miss USA 2024.

  • Sandra Force, Miss Tennessee USA 1968
    Sandra Force, Miss Tennessee USA 1968
  • Karen Compton, Miss Tennessee USA 1986
    Karen Compton, Miss Tennessee USA 1986
  • Allison Alderson, Miss Tennessee USA 2002 (pictured in 2008)
    Allison Alderson, Miss Tennessee USA 2002 (pictured in 2008)
  • Stephanie Culberson, Miss Tennessee USA 2004
    Stephanie Culberson, Miss Tennessee USA 2004
  • Rachel Smith, Miss Tennessee USA 2007 and Miss USA 2007
    Rachel Smith, Miss Tennessee USA 2007 and Miss USA 2007
  • Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, Miss Tennessee USA 2017
    Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, Miss Tennessee USA 2017

Results summary

  • Miss USAs: Lynnette Cole (2000), Rachel Smith (2007)
  • 1st runners-up: Morgan Tandy High (1999), Ashley Durham (2011)
  • 2nd runners-up: Gail White (1962), Desiree Daniels (1984), Becca Lee (1996), Towanna Stone (1997)
  • 3rd runners-up: Jean Harper (1952), Donna Marie Ford (1970), Christell Foote (2024)
  • 4th runners-up: Beth Hood (2003), Stephanie Culberson (2004)
  • Top 10/12: Sharon Kay Steakley (1981), Sherly Deanice "Nise" Levy (1982), Stephanie Jane Potts (1988), Charita Moses (1990), Camila "Cammy" Gregory (1993), Leah Hulan (1994), Lisa Tollett (2001), Hailey Laine Brown (2008), Kristen Motil (2009), Tucker Perry (2010), Allee-Sutton Hethcoat (2017), Alexandra Harper (2018), Emily Suttle (2022)
  • Top 15/16/20: Stella Wilson (1956), Martha Boales (1958), Bobbie Lynn Morrow (1963), Mary Margaret Smith (1966), Nancy Brackhahn (1967), Sandra Force (1968), Lauren Grissom (2006), Jessica Hibler (2012), Kristy Landers Niedenfuer (2014), Elizabeth Pistole (2021)

Tennessee holds a record of 36 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Miss Photogenic: Suzanna Timberlake (1978)
  • Best State Costume: Pat Kerr (1964), Elizabeth Pistole (2021)
  • Miss Congeniality: Bonnie Perkins (1965), Martha Browning (1985)
  • Style Award: Becca Lee (1996)
  • Best in Swimsuit: Lynnette Cole (2000)
  • Best in Evening Gown: Christell Foote (2024)

Winners

Color key
  •   Declared as Winner
  •   Ended as runner-up
  •   Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
Year Name Hometown Age[b] Local title Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes
2024 Christell Foote Rocky Top 23 Miss Rocky Top 3rd runner-up Best in Evening Gown
2023 Regan Ringler Nashville 25 Miss Downtown Nashville
2022 Emily Suttle Franklin 25 Miss Franklin Top 12
2021 Elizabeth Graham Pistole Franklin 20 Miss Historic Franklin Top 16 Best State Costume
2020 Justice Enlow Nashville 26 Miss Belle Meade Longest reigning Miss Tennessee USA at 1 year, 5 months and 1 day
2019 Savana Hodge Nashville 25 Miss Davidson County
2018 Alexandra Harper[4] Brentwood 25 Miss Williamson County Top 10 Daughter of Sharon Kay Steakley, Miss Tennessee USA 1981
2017 Allee-Sutton Hethcoat Franklin 25 Miss Williamson County Top 10
2016 Hope Stephens Livingston 20 Miss Upper Cumberland Previously 1st runner-up at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2014
2015 Kiara Young[5] Nashville 23 Miss Greater Nashville
2014 Kristy Landers Niedenfuer[6] Nashville 22 Miss Nashville Top 20
2013 Brenna Mader Nashville 25 Miss Davidson County
2012 Jessica Hibler[8] Brentwood 22 Miss Middle Tennessee State University Top 16
2011 Ashley Durham Adamsville 20 Miss East Memphis 1st runner-up Previously Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2006
2010 Tucker Perry Franklin 20 Miss Tennessee Valley Top 10 Daughter of Kathi Tucker, Miss Washington USA 1983
2009 Kristen Motil[9] Franklin 24 Miss Williamson County Top 10
2008 Hailey Laine Brown Franklin 25 Miss South Fulton Top 10 Previously 4th runner-up at Miss Tennessee 2003
2007 Rachel Smith[10] Clarksville 21 Miss Clarksville Miss USA 2007
2006 Lauren Grissom Shelbyville 21 Miss Shelbyville Top 15
2005 Amy Colley Jonesborough 21 Later 2nd runner-up at Miss Tennessee 2008
2004 Stephanie Culberson Knoxville 24 4th runner-up Previously Miss Tennessee 2001, 2nd runner-up at Miss America 2002
2003 Beth Hood Cleveland 24 4th runner-up Previously Miss Tennessee 2000
2002 Allison Alderson[2] Nashville 25 Triple crown winner

Sister of Miss District of Columbia USA 1999, Amy Alderson

2001 Lisa Tollett Crossville 24 Top 10 Previously engaged with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Elliott Sadler
2000 Lynnette Cole Columbia 21 Miss USA 2000 Best in Swimsuit
1999 Morgan Tandy High Nashville 25 1st runner-up
1998 Amy Neely Lafayette Honorable Mention
1997 Towanna Stone Morristown 24 2nd runner-up First Black woman to win Miss Tennessee USA
1996 Becca Lee Memphis 24 2nd runner-up Finesse Style Award
1995 Lee Ann Huey Obion
1994 Leah Hulan Murfreesboro 25 Top 12 Previously Miss Tennessee 1992
1993 Camila "Cammy" Gregory Paris 25 Top 12 The 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 23 Top 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 23 Semi-finalist
1987 Molly Brown Loretto
1986 Karen Compton Lawrenceburg
1985 Martha Browning Chattanooga 24 Miss Congeniality First deaf Miss USA contestant.[12]
1984 Desiree Daniels Chattanooga 24 2nd runner-up
1983 Ladonna Friday Jonesborough
1982 Sherly Deanice "Nise" Levy Nashville 21 Semi-finalist
1981 Sharon Kay Steakley Nashville 24 Semi-finalist Mother of Alexandra Harper, Miss Tennessee USA 2018
1980 Diane Hunt Etowah
1979 Sandy Nuismer Nashville
1978 Suzanna Timberlake Chattanooga Miss Photogenic Semifinalist 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 23 3rd runner-up
1969 Suzie Richardson Jackson
1968 Sandra Force Memphis 23 Semi-finalist
1967 Nancy Brackhahn Nashville 21 Semi-finalist
1966 Mary Margaret Smith Nashville 20 Semi-finalist
1965 Bonnie Perkins Nashville 23 Miss Congeniality
1964 Pat Kerr Nashville 19 Best State Costume
1963 Bobbie Morrow Memphis 26 Semi-finalist
1962 Gail White Chattanooga 21 2nd runner-up
1961 Anita Atkins Nashville 25
1960 Christine McSwain Memphis 21
1959 Marcia Daniels Memphis 20
1958 Martha Boales Memphis 23 Semi-finalist 1st runner-up in the 1959 Miss Dixie Pageant
1957 Patricia Prather Memphis 18
1956 Stella Wilson Memphis 22 Semi-finalist
1955 Barbara Gurley Memphis 24
1954 Barbara Holly Nashville 21
1953 No representative
1952 Jean Harper Memphis 18 3rd runner-up Previously Miss Tennessee 1951

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. ^ a b "Producers". Miss Tennessee USA/Teen USA Pageants. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  2. ^ a b 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.