Miss Tennessee USA


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. Since 1999, the pageant has been held at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
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.
Madison Kunst of Nashville was crowned Miss Tennessee USA 2025 on June 28, 2025 at the Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She represented Tennessee for the title of Miss USA 2025.

Results summary

  • Miss USAs: Lynnette Cole, Rachel Smith
  • 1st runners-up: Morgan Tandy High, Ashley Durham
  • 2nd runners-up: Gail White, Desiree Daniels, Becca Lee, Towanna Stone
  • 3rd runners-up: Jean Harper, Donna Marie Ford, Christell Foote
  • 4th runners-up: Beth Hood, Stephanie Culberson
  • Top 10/'12: Sharon Kay Steakley, Sherly Deanice "Nise" Levy, Stephanie Jane Potts, Charita Moses, Camila "Cammy" Gregory, Leah Hulan, Lisa Tollett, Hailey Laine Brown, Kristen Motil, Tucker Perry, Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, Alexandra Harper, Emily Suttle
  • Top 15/16/20: Stella Wilson, Martha Boales, Bobbie Lynn Morrow, Mary Margaret Smith, Nancy Brackhahn, Sandra Force, Lauren Grissom, Jessica Hibler, Kristy Landers Niedenfuer, Elizabeth Pistole, Madison Kunst
Tennessee' holds a record of 37 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Miss Photogenic: Suzanna Timberlake
  • Best State Costume: Pat Kerr, Elizabeth Pistole
  • Miss Congeniality: Bonnie Perkins, Martha Browning
  • Style Award: Becca Lee
  • Best in Swimsuit: Lynnette Cole
  • Best in Evening Gown: Christell Foote

    Winners

;Color key
YearNameHometownAgeLocal titlePlacement at Miss USASpecial awards at Miss USANotes
2025Madison KunstNashville27Miss Madison CountyTop 20
2024Christell FooteRocky Top23Miss Rocky Top3rd runner-upBest in Evening Gown
2023Regan RinglerNashville25Miss Downtown Nashville
2022Emily SuttleFranklin25Miss FranklinTop 12
2021Elizabeth Graham PistoleFranklin20Miss Historic FranklinTop 16Best State Costume
  • Previously both 1st runner-up at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2017 and Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2019
    • 2020Justice EnlowNashville26Miss Belle MeadeLongest reigning Miss Tennessee USA at
    2019Savana HodgeNashville25Miss Davidson County
    2018Alexandra HarperBrentwood25Miss Williamson CountyTop 10Daughter of Sharon Kay Steakley, Miss Tennessee USA 1981
    2017Allee-Sutton HethcoatFranklin25Miss Williamson CountyTop 10
    2016Hope StephensLivingston20Miss Upper CumberlandPreviously 1st runner-up at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2014
    2015Kiara YoungNashville23Miss Greater Nashville
    2014Kristy Landers NiedenfuerNashville22Miss NashvilleTop 20
  • Daughter of Major League Baseball pitcher Tom Niedenfuer and actress Judy Landers
  • Later Miss Louisiana World 2015
  • *3rd runner-up at Miss World America 2015
    • 2013Brenna MaderNashville25Miss Davidson County
  • Previously Miss Wyoming Teen USA 2005
  • Sister of Jamie Mader, Miss Wyoming Teen USA 2002
    • 2012Jessica HiblerBrentwood22Miss Middle Tennessee State UniversityTop 16
    2011Ashley DurhamAdamsville20Miss East Memphis1st runner-up
  • Previously Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2006
    • 2010Tucker PerryFranklin20Miss Tennessee ValleyTop 10Daughter of Kathi Tucker, Miss Washington USA 1983
    2009Kristen MotilFranklin24Miss Williamson CountyTop 10
    2008Hailey Laine BrownFranklin25Miss South FultonTop 10Previously 4th runner-up at Miss Tennessee 2003
    2007Rachel SmithClarksville21Miss ClarksvilleMiss USA 2007
  • Born in Panama
  • Previously Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2002
  • *Top 10 Semi-Finalist & Miss Photogenic at Miss Teen USA 2002
  • 4th runner-up at Miss Universe 2007
  • Host ABC's On the Red Carpet
    • 2006Lauren GrissomShelbyville21Miss ShelbyvilleTop 15
  • Previously dating country singer Jake Owen
  • Participant on VH1's You're Cut Off!
    • 2005Amy ColleyJonesborough21Later 2nd runner-up at Miss Tennessee 2008
    2004Stephanie CulbersonKnoxville244th runner-up
  • Previously Miss Tennessee 2001
  • * 2nd runner-up at Miss America 2002
    • 2003Beth HoodCleveland244th runner-up
  • Previously Miss Tennessee 2000
    • 2002Allison AldersonNashville25Triple crown winner
  • Previously Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1994
  • *Top 6 at Miss Teen USA 1994
  • Previously Miss Tennessee 1999
    • Sister of Miss District of Columbia USA 1999, Amy Alderson
    2001Lisa TollettCrossville24Top 10Previously engaged with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Elliott Sadler
    2000Lynnette ColeColumbia21Miss USA 2000Best in Swimsuit
    1999Morgan Tandy HighNashville251st runner-up
    1998Amy NeelyLafayetteHonorable Mention
    1997Towanna StoneMorristown242nd runner-upFirst Black woman to win Miss Tennessee USA
    1996Becca LeeMemphis242nd runner-upFinesse Style Award
    1995Lee Ann HueyObion
    1994Leah HulanMurfreesboro25Top 12
  • Previously Miss Tennessee 1992
    • 1993Camila "Cammy" GregoryParis25Top 12The Kentucky native died on January 3, 2003, of a sudden brain aneurysm in Jackson, Tennessee
    1992Natalie Bray
    1991Angela Johnson
    1990Charita MosesMemphis23Top 12
    1989Kimberly PayneNashville21
  • Previously Tennessee's Junior Miss 1985
  • Current director of Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee pageants under her married name, Kim Greenwood
    • 1988Stephanie Jane PottsMemphis23Semi-finalist
    1987Molly BrownLoretto
  • Previously Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1984
  • *2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 1984
    • 1986Karen ComptonLawrenceburg
    1985Martha BrowningChattanooga24Miss CongenialityFirst deaf Miss USA contestant.
    1984Desiree DanielsChattanooga242nd runner-up
  • Previously Miss Tennessee 1982
  • *Finished 1st runner up to Miss America 1983
    • 1983Ladonna FridayJonesborough
    1982Sherly Deanice "Nise" LevyNashville21Semi-finalist
  • Producer of I'm Not Ashamed
  • Appeared on Australian series of The World's Strictest Parents
    • 1981Sharon Kay SteakleyNashville24Semi-finalistMother of Alexandra Harper, Miss Tennessee USA 2018
    1980Diane HuntEtowah
    1979Sandy NuismerNashville
    1978Suzanna TimberlakeChattanoogaMiss PhotogenicSemifinalist in Miss World USA 1980
    1977Rene SmithCookeville
    1976Jana KerrSavannah
    1975Shelly SmithMemphis
  • Previously Miss Memphis State 1975
    • 1974Brin HendrixCounce
    1973Tommye HookerMemphis
    1972Linda ThompsonMemphis21
  • Placed 3rd runner-up at Miss Tennessee 1970
  • Actress and songwriter
  • Married to Bruce Jenner and David Foster
  • Mother of Brandon and Brody Jenner
    • 1971Sue CollinsStrawberry Plains
    1970Donna Marie FordTrenton233rd runner-up
    1969Suzie RichardsonJackson
    1968Sandra ForceMemphis23Semi-finalist
    1967Nancy BrackhahnNashville21Semi-finalist
    1966Mary Margaret SmithNashville20Semi-finalist
    1965Bonnie PerkinsNashville23Miss Congeniality
    1964Pat KerrNashville19Best State Costume
    1963Bobbie Lynn MorrowCamden26Top 15
    1962Gail WhiteChattanooga212nd runner-up
    1961Anita AtkinsNashville25
    1960Christine McSwainMemphis21
    1959Marcia DanielsMemphis20
    1958Martha BoalesMemphis23Miss MemphisSemi-finalist1st runner-up in the 1959 Miss Dixie Pageant
    1957Patricia PratherMemphis18
    1956Stella WilsonMemphis22Semi-finalist
    1955Barbara GurleyMemphis24
    1954Barbara HollyNashville21
    1953No representative
    1952Jean HarperMemphis183rd runner-up
  • Previously Miss Tennessee 1951