Miss America 2016

Miss America 2016 was the 89th Miss America pageant, held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 13, 2015.
Kira Kazantsev of New York crowned Betty Cantrell of Georgia as her successor at the end of the event. According to Miss America's website, the pageant got around 7.9 million views.

Overview

There were 52 women competing for the title, down from 53 contestants in the 2014 pageant, as the Miss Virgin Islands pageant organization did not renew their license and is no longer sending representatives for the Miss America pageant.
The panel of preliminary competition judges included publicist and talent producer Brian Edwards, Miss America 1979 Kylene Barker, producer Jenni Pulos, fashion and style expert Rachel Zalis, fashion designer Noah Alexander, D.C. lobbyist Lanny Griffith, and actor/model James Brown III.
Vanessa Williams said in an interview with Inside Edition that she was perplexed over the apology and suggested that it was given for the purpose of ratings. Williams also commented on the events surrounding her return, stating in an interview with Robin Roberts that "there's a lot of people who feel I should return, so the people who harbor the resentment I understand it but realize that all of those people that were part of the old guard are no longer there."

Results

Placements

* - America's Choice

Pageant notes

Withdraws

- Due to lack of sponsorships