The final night of Miss USA’s 75th anniversary edition ended with a new queen in Miami. Justus Kelley, representing Virginia, was crowned Miss USA 2026 after advancing to the final five of the competition, succeeding reigning titleholder Audrey Eckert. Aileen Cerchiara of Florida finished as first runner-up, followed by Elizabeth Voight of Pennsylvania, Madeline Erickson of Iowa and Alayzia Christopher of Utah.
Justus Kelley of Virginia won the Miss USA 2026 crown.
Kelley was named the winner of the 75th anniversary edition in Miami after reaching the final five alongside representatives from Florida, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Utah. Audrey Eckert, the reigning Miss USA from Nebraska, crowned her successor at the end of the competition.
Aileen Cerchiara of Florida finished as first runner-up, while Elizabeth Voight of Pennsylvania was named second runner-up. Madeline Erickson of Iowa placed third runner-up and Alayzia Christopher of Utah completed the final five as fourth runner-up.
The final results are listed below.
| Results | Contestant | State |
|---|---|---|
| Winner — Miss USA 2026 | Justus Kelley | Virginia |
| First Runner-Up | Aileen Cerchiara | Florida |
| Second Runner-Up | Elizabeth Voight | Pennsylvania |
| Third Runner-Up | Madeline Erickson | Iowa |
| Fourth Runner-Up | Alayzia Christopher | Utah |
The Miss USA 2026 competition came down to five finalists, with representatives from Florida, Virginia, Utah, Pennsylvania and Iowa remaining in contention for the crown.
The final order was led by Justus Kelley of Virginia, who emerged as the winner of the 75th anniversary edition. The other four finalists completed the competition as the official runner-ups.
Justus Kelley entered the competition with a story rooted in community leadership, advocacy and foster care. According to her Miss USA profile, her hometown previously honored her community work by declaring March 11 as “Justus Kelley Day.”
Kelley is also a foster mother of two, a global ambassador for St. Jude and the author of the children’s book series More Than One Thing. She has also promoted accessibility in pageantry by wearing secondhand clothing for major events.
Her journey ended with the biggest title in the competition as she was crowned Miss USA 2026.
Aileen Cerchiara of Florida finished as the first runner-up at Miss USA 2026.
A registered nurse, Cerchiara has used her platform to raise awareness of myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood cancer, in honor of her late father. She was inspired to enter the medical field after witnessing his cancer treatment as a child and later began her nursing career during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her run in Miami ended with one of the strongest results of the night as she finished second overall.
Elizabeth Voight represented Pennsylvania in the final five and was named second runner-up.
Voight has a background as an educator, basketball coach and model while also pursuing a master’s degree to become a reading specialist. She is also the founder of Read to Lead, an initiative that donates books to the Salvation Army.
Her strong performance throughout the competition earned Pennsylvania a place in the final five and ultimately the third-highest overall position.
Madeline Erickson of Iowa finished as third runner-up at Miss USA 2026.
Erickson previously won the title of Miss Iowa Teen 2023 and reached the Top 20 at Miss Teen USA 2023. She studied mass communications at Louisiana State University and has pursued a career in sports communication.
She also leads an initiative called I Owe Her, focused on celebrating the voices, mentors and communities that shape and support women.
Her experience on the national stage helped carry her into the final five, where she finished fourth overall.
Alayzia Christopher completed the final five as the fourth runner-up.
The Utah representative works in hospitality and events and is also the founder of HER, or Helping Empower Resiliency, a nonprofit focused on supporting and empowering others.
Her appearance in the final five placed her among the last contestants standing in the 75th anniversary edition of Miss USA.
Before the crown changed hands, several contestants entered the final with greater public attention because of their pageant experience, unusual personal journeys or previous success on national and international stages.
There was no official ranking of favorites before the competition, and the final result ultimately depended on the judging throughout the pageant. Still, these contestants entered the decisive night in Miami with strong narratives and credentials.
Jenna Dykstra arrived with one of the strongest international pageant résumés in the Miss USA 2026 field. She previously represented the United States as Miss Supranational USA 2024 and went on to finish as first runner-up at Miss Supranational 2024.
That experience gave the New York representative a level of international competition experience that few contestants in this year’s field could match. She entered the national final already familiar with the pressure of competing on a major stage.
Amber Uhler was one of the most talked-about contestants of the 2026 competition. At 41, she was the oldest contestant in the field and represented one of the clearest examples of how Miss USA had changed following recent adjustments to its eligibility rules.
Her journey to the national stage also drew attention because of the personal transformation she had openly shared. After years of major changes in her life, Uhler arrived at Miss USA with a story very different from the traditional pageant path.
Jade Kircus had one of the least conventional backgrounds among the 2026 contestants. Her professional and personal journey brought her to Miss USA through a path that stood apart from the traditional pageant circuit.
At 36, the Georgia representative was also among the more experienced contestants in the field in terms of life and career. That background, combined with the story behind her route to the national stage, made her one of the names attracting attention before the final.
Rachel Betterley brought a different kind of pageant history to the 2026 competition.
Previously known as Rachel Latuff, she was crowned Miss Minnesota 2015 before returning years later to compete in the Miss USA system. Her appearance in Miami represented a return to major pageantry more than a decade after her earlier state title.
That experience made her one of the contestants with the longest competitive history in the field.
Vivica Lewandowski entered the national competition with both pageant experience and a family connection to the Miss USA system.
She was previously crowned Miss Illinois Teen USA 2023 and reached the Top 20 at Miss Teen USA 2023. She is also the daughter of Mandy Lane Lewandowski, Miss Illinois USA 1998, creating a rare generational link within the state pageant’s history.
Anna Claire Hay knew what it was like to compete under the pressure of a national final.
She previously won the title of Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2020 and went on to reach the Top 16 at Miss Teen USA 2020. That earlier national experience gave her valuable knowledge of the pace and expectations surrounding a major pageant.
At 20, Alexis Fuetsch was the youngest contestant competing at Miss USA 2026.
Her presence highlighted the broad generational range of the field. While Fuetsch represented the youngest end of the competition, contestants such as Amber Uhler, 41, brought more than two additional decades of life experience to the same stage.
That contrast became one of the defining features of the 75th anniversary edition.
The Miss USA 2026 field included 51 contestants representing the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Here is the complete list of women who competed for the crown in Miami.
| State/District | Contestant | Age | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Samantha Havenstrite | 27 | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Alaska | Holly Huber | 26 | Juneau, Alaska |
| Arizona | Kaitlyn Humphrey | 23 | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Arkansas | Anna Claire Hay | 23 | Siloam Springs, Arkansas |
| California | Acacia McBride | 28 | Calabasas, California |
| Colorado | Jordyn Owen | 30 | Catalina Foothills, Arizona |
| Connecticut | Jaeden Hamelly | 30 | New London, Connecticut |
| Delaware | Julia Hatoum | 24 | Hockessin, Delaware |
| District of Columbia | Kennedy Lucas | 28 | Washington, D.C. |
| Florida | Aileen Cerchiara | 26 | Tampa, Florida |
| Georgia | Jade Kircus | 36 | Southside, Alabama |
| Hawaii | Darja Bassut | 23 | Waiʻanae, Hawaii |
| Idaho | Katie Tetreault | 30 | Eagle, Idaho |
| Illinois | Vivica Lewandowski | 21 | Barrington, Illinois |
| Indiana | Eniolá Oke | 21 | Brownsburg, Indiana |
| Iowa | Madeline Erickson | 22 | Ankeny, Iowa |
| Kansas | Madilynn Becker | 22 | Herington, Kansas |
| Kentucky | Brijet Finister | 36 | Stockton, California |
| Louisiana | Ella Clark | 24 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Maine | Mykala Green | 25 | Biddeford, Maine |
| Maryland | Holly Plank | 35 | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Kayshauna Montaño | 28 | West Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Michigan | Amber Uhler | 41 | Tampa, Florida |
| Minnesota | Rachel Betterley | 35 | Hastings, Minnesota |
| Mississippi | Victoria Cantu | 27 | Brownsville, Texas |
| Missouri | Madison Beck | 22 | Barnhart, Missouri |
| Montana | Lisbeth Fernández | 28 | Miami, Florida |
| Nebraska | Emily Lenser | 25 | Elkhorn, Nebraska |
| Nevada | Natalie Bode | 27 | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| New Hampshire | Samantha LaBonne | 34 | Southbury, Connecticut |
| New Jersey | Katarina Lengyel | 25 | Middletown, New Jersey |
| New Mexico | Cara Rgnonti | 26 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico |
| New York | Jenna Dykstra | 30 | New York City, New York |
| North Carolina | Myla Hadley | 24 | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| North Dakota | Sophia Richards | 25 | Hope, North Dakota |
| Ohio | Kayelin Tiggs | 34 | Dayton, Ohio |
| Oklahoma | Annamaria Thomas | 22 | Miami, Oklahoma |
| Oregon | Claire Wildey | 24 | Clovis, California |
| Pennsylvania | Elizabeth Voight | 26 | Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania |
| Rhode Island | Victoria Cuartas | 33 | East Providence, Rhode Island |
| South Carolina | Victoria Vesce | 33 | Charleston, South Carolina |
| South Dakota | Lexus Paulson | 28 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
| Tennessee | Sydney Grace Young | 26 | Clarksville, Tennessee |
| Texas | Alexis Fuetsch | 20 | San Antonio, Texas |
| Utah | Alayzia Christopher | 30 | Park City, Utah |
| Vermont | Katherine McQuade | 31 | Whitestone, New York |
| Virginia | Justus Kelley — Miss USA 2026 | 29 | Arlington, Virginia |
| Washington | Ellise Kakazu | 35 | Pearl City, Hawaii |
| West Virginia | Alanna Lynch | 25 | West Liberty, West Virginia |
| Wisconsin | Olivia Lulich | 23 | Lyndon Station, Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | Melanie San Roman | 30 | Austin, Texas |
One of the most striking elements of Miss USA 2026 was the range of ages represented in the competition.
Alexis Fuetsch of Texas was the youngest contestant at 20, while Amber Uhler of Michigan was the oldest at 41. Between them was a field that included women at very different stages of their lives, careers and pageant journeys.
Several contestants arrived after competing in Miss Teen USA, while others had returned to pageantry after years away. Some brought international competition experience, while others followed less conventional routes to the Miss USA stage.
That mix gave the 75th anniversary edition a broader generational identity than many previous years.
The final moment of the night belonged to Audrey Eckert, the reigning Miss USA from Nebraska.
Eckert took the stage for the final time as titleholder before placing the crown on Justus Kelley of Virginia, officially ending her reign and beginning a new chapter for the Miss USA organization during its 75th anniversary year.
For Kelley, the moment marked the culmination of a competition that began with 51 contestants representing the 50 states and Washington, D.C. The field narrowed throughout the night until only five finalists remained, with the Virginia representative ultimately hearing her name called as the new Miss USA.
Justus Kelley of Virginia won the Miss USA 2026 crown.
Aileen Cerchiara of Florida finished as the first runner-up.
The five finalists were Justus Kelley of Virginia, Aileen Cerchiara of Florida, Elizabeth Voight of Pennsylvania, Madeline Erickson of Iowa and Alayzia Christopher of Utah.
Elizabeth Voight of Pennsylvania finished as the second runner-up.
Madeline Erickson of Iowa finished as the third runner-up.
Alayzia Christopher of Utah finished as the fourth runner-up.
The pageant was held in Miami, Florida, as part of Miss USA’s 75th anniversary edition.
There were 51 contestants representing the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Audrey Eckert of Nebraska, the reigning Miss USA, crowned Justus Kelley as her successor.
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