Miss West Virginia USA


The Miss West Virginia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss USA pageant. This pageant is independently conducted and produced by Empower2 Productions LLC. and is formerly directed by Sanders & Associates, Inc., dba- Pageant Associates based in Buckhannon, West Virginia.
Although West Virginia has not produced a Miss USA titleholder, four West Virginian delegates have placed: Kristen Morrison in 2005, Jessi Pierson in 2009, Chelsea Welch in 2013, and Nichole Greene in 2016. Their most recent placement was Krystian Leonard who placed in the Top 16 in 2022.
Four Miss West Virginia USAs have held the Miss West Virginia Teen USA title and competed at Miss Teen USA, and two have competed at Miss America.
Erin Wellman of Princeton was crowned Miss West Virginia USA 2025 on July 27, 2025 at Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts in West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon. She represented West Virginia for the title of Miss USA 2025.

Results summary

Placements

  • 1st runners-up: Ruth Parr, Kelly Anderson
  • Top 10/'11: Paula Morrison, Jessi Pierson
  • Top 15/16: Wilda Estep, Garnett Pugh, Kathy McManaway, Kristin Morrison, Chelsea Welch, Nichole Greene, Krystian Leonard
West Virginia' holds a record of 11 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Miss Photogenic: Jessi Pierson

    Winners

YearNameHometownAgeLocal titlePlacement at Miss USASpecial awards at Miss USANotes
2025Erin WellmanPrinceton24Miss Barboursville Fall Festival
2024Caylie SimmonsFranklin24Miss Three Rivers Festival
2023Nevaeh HarmonCharleston21Miss Charleston
2022Krystian LeonardMorgantown25Miss Monongalia CountyTop 16
2021Alexis BlandParkersburg22Miss Parkersburg
2020Charlotte BellotteCharles Town25Longest reigning Miss West Virginia USA
2019Haley HollowayMorgantown23
2018Casey LassiterSpencer21
2017Lauren RoushMason21
  • Cast member of Are You the One?
  • Later Miss Pennsylvania World 2019
  • *Top 10 at Miss World America 2019
    • 2016Nichole GreeneNitro24Top 15
    2015Andrea MucinoMorgantown23
    2014Charisse HaislopParkersburg24
    2013Chelsea WelchWest Union22Top 15
  • Previously Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2007
  • *4th runner-up to Miss Teen USA 2007
    • 2012Andrea RogersMartinsburg24
    2011Whitney VeachPetersburg24
  • Previously Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2003
    • 2010Erica Jade GoldsmithMineral Wells23
    2009Jessi PiersonMilton21Top 10Miss Photogenic
    2008Skylene MontgomeryParkersburg
  • Ms. West Virginia United States 2006
    • 2007Kasey MontgomeryPetersburg23
    2006Jessica WedgeEvans22
    2005Kristin MorrisonRipley24Top 15Current titleholder manager of the Miss West Virginia USA and Miss West Virginia Teen USA pageants under her married name, Kristin Flowers
    2004Carolyn JenningsMorgantown21
    2003Amy ThomasonBuckhannon
    2002Angela DavenportMontgomery
    2001Karen LongBarboursvilleWinner of Miss Oktoberfest 2001; Auditioned for Season 1 of American Idol
    2000Tara WilsonSistersville
    1999Amanda Burns
  • Previously Miss West Virginia Teen USA 1997
  • Later Mrs. West Virginia America 2004 under her married name, Amanda Duffy
    • 1998Susan BoothCharleston
    1997Natalie BevinsParkersburg
    1996Regina FisherGlenville
    1995Tracy Holcomb
    1994Linda BaileyCharleston
    1993Jennifer JohnsonHuntington
    1992Vickie MyersParkersburg
    1991Krista RansbottomHuntington
    1990Sabrina AndersonHinton
    1989Kathy EicherHuntingtonMother of Nadia Mejia, Miss California USA 2016, and married to Gerardo Mejia
    1988Cathy FowlerHuntington
    1987Paula MorrisonBarboursville22Semi-finalist
  • Semifinalist at Miss International 1987
    • 1986Shonna LyonsParkersburg
    1985Lorre LewisBarboursville
    1984Kelly AndersonClarksburg231st runner-up
  • Previously Miss West Virginia 1982
  • Later Miss World USA 1984
  • *Top 5 finalist at Miss World 1984
    • 1983Jill RigsbyHuntington
    1982Cindy BaniakStar City
    1981Kelly Carr
    1980Linda HedrickWiley Ford
    1979Candice BoggsKeyser21
    1978Deborah Davis
  • Later Miss West Virginia 1979
    • 1977Pat BrownShepherdstown
    1976Cheryl PlantsWinfield
    1975Joyce MyersWheeling
    1974Kim NuzumWheeling
    1973Kathy RowandPinch
    1972Diane McCutcheonWheeling
    1971Peggy TennantClarksburg
    1970Sharon AlbertiWeirton
    1969Betty GrimmerWheeling
    1968Patricia "Pat" CoyneWheeling
    1967Pamela Young
    1966Annette Peery
    1964-1965Did Not Compete
    1963Nina Lou Denton
    1962Nicki Galais
    1961Kathy McManawaySemi-finalist
    1960Garnett PughSemi-finalist
    1959Wilda EstepSemi-finalist
    1958Mary Guthrie
    1957Ruth Parr1st runner-upShe finished as 2nd runner-up, but succeeded as 1st runner-up when the 1st runner-up assumed the title as Miss USA after the title was taken away from the winner.
    1956Janet Cardi
    1955Barbara Tucker
    1954Sandra WaggyCharleston
    1953Fay Higley
    1952Did Not Compete