Miss America 2005


Miss America 2005, the 78th Miss America pageant, was held in Atlantic City on Saturday, September 18, 2004, following a week of events including the preliminary competition.
The pageant was broadcast live on ABC from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Although this was not known at the time, this pageant would be the last held in Atlantic City until 2013, as the pageant moved to Las Vegas, Nevada beginning in 2006. It was also the last one to be televised by an over-the-air network until 2011.
At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Ericka Dunlap crowned Deidre Downs of Alabama as her successor.

Competition

All delegates compete in an interview competition with the judges, based on their platform issue, and also in the swimsuit, evening gown and talent competitions.
Prior to the nationally televised competition, the delegates participate in three nights of preliminary competition, where preliminary award winners are chosen in each category.
During the final telecast, following the announcement of the semi-finalists, the top ten competed in casual wear and swimsuit. The top five went on to compete in evening gown and took part in a quiz show that replaced the onstage question that year. The final two contestants standing advanced to the first-ever head-to-head talent competition, the final event that determined who would become Miss America 2005.

Results

Placements

Awards

Preliminary awards

AwardsContestant
Lifestyle and Fitness

  • Final night awards

Quality of Life award

ResultsContestantPlatform
Winner

  • Non-finalist awards

AwardsContestant
Interview

  • Other awards

AwardsContestant
Miss Congeniality

  • Delegates

StateNameHometownAgeTalentPlacementAwardsNotes
AlabamaDeidre DownsBirmingham24VocalWinnerQuality of Life
AlaskaChristina ReasnerSterling22Pop Vocal
ArizonaKatherine KennedyTempe24Baton Twirling
ArkansasLacy FlemingHampton22Vocal3rd runner-up
CaliforniaVeena GoelLaguna Hills22Jazz Dance4th runner-upPreliminary Talent
ColoradoLaura TobeyDenver23Jazz Vocal
ConnecticutNikki PalmieriNorth Haven22Jazz Dance
DelawareLinda KurtzDover21Ballet
District of ColumbiaTherese LizardoWatchung24Tahitian / Hawaiian Dance
FloridaJenna EdwardsMiami23Pop VocalPreliminary SwimsuitMiss Florida USA 2007
GeorgiaDanica TisdaleAtlanta23VocalTop 10Preliminary Talent
HawaiiOlena RubinKilauea23VocalMiss Congeniality
IdahoElizabeth BarchasBoise24Classical PianoQuality of Life 1st runner-up, Non-finalist Interview, Leonard C. Horn for Legal StudiesTriple Crown winner: Miss Idaho Teen USA 1998, Miss Idaho USA 2001
IllinoisMichelle LaGroueNaperville24Vocal
IndianaSarah WileyCarmel24VocalNon-finalist Talent
IowaCarolyn NicholasClear Lake23FluteNon-finalist Talent
KansasMegan BushellWichita22Classical VocalTop 10
KentuckyMaria MaldonadoLexington22VocalNon-finalist Interview
LouisianaJennifer DupontPlaquemine23Jazz Dance1st runner-upPreliminary SwimsuitTriple Crown winner: Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1998, Miss Louisiana USA 2000
MaineAmi ViceLisbon Falls23Classical VocalNon-finalist Talent, Bernie Wayne Scholarship for the Performing Arts
MarylandTiffany JenkinsSilver Spring24Vocal
MassachusettsErika EbbelCambridge23Classical PianoPreliminary Talent, Non-finalist Talent
MichiganKelli TalicskaAuburn24Vocal
MinnesotaTiffany OgleWaverly24Vocal
MississippiJalin WoodWaynesboro23PianoMiss Mississippi USA 2007
MissouriWhitney WeeksChesterfield24Tap DanceNon-finalist Talent
MontanaEvangelina DukeBillings20Vocal
NebraskaBrook MatthewsBlair24Vocal
NevadaElizabeth MutoLas Vegas24MonologueQuality of Life 2nd runner-up, Non-finalist Interview
New HampshireAlyssa SpellmanDerry21VocalNon-finalist Interview
New JerseyErica ScanlonPitman22VocalNon-finalist Talent
New MexicoSusan YaraPecos23VocalNon-finalist Interview
New YorkChristina EllingtonNew York City22Operatic VocalTop 10
North CarolinaKirstin ElrodCary23Classical Vocal2nd runner-up
North DakotaAshley FordCavalier21Vocal
OhioAmanda BeagleWarren24Operatic AriaNon-finalist Talent
OklahomaElizabeth KinneyMooreland22Tap DanceTop 10
OregonBrook RobertsRoseburg21VocalThe Amazing Race 17 contestant along with her fellow home shopping host Claire Champlin
PennsylvaniaVictoria BechtoldJohnstown21Classical Operatic Vocal
Rhode IslandAimée BelisleNorth Smithfield24Ballet
South CarolinaAnn WoodSpartanburg23Lyrical Dance
South DakotaKyra KorverMitchell23Broadway Vocal
TennesseeAshley EicherNashville24VocalNon-finalist Talent
TexasJamie StoryBedford23Classical PianoTop 10
UtahAmy DavisBountiful22Classical PianoPreliminary Swimsuit1st runner-up at Miss Utah USA 2007
VermontMegan YardleyBurlington24Vocal
VirginiaMariah RiceMechanicsville24Lyrical Dance
Virgin IslandsKinila CallendarSaint Thomas24Cultural Dance
WashingtonAllison PorterUniversity Place24Classical Violin
West VirginiaJulia BurtonPetersburg22Pop Vocal
WisconsinMolly Jean McGrathWisconsin Rapids22Theatrical Dance en Pointe
WyomingMegan ReichertDayton19Classical Vocal