Miss USA 2002
Miss USA 2002 was the 51st Miss USA pageant, held at Genesis Convention Center in Gary, Indiana on March 1, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the [Miss Miss District of Columbia USA|District of Columbia USA|District of Columbia], who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas. The host was Deion Sanders.
This was the last Miss USA show was aired on CBS. Beginning with Miss USA 2003, NBC assumed co-ownership of the pageant along with Donald Trump, and as a result began televising the pageant.
Results
Placements
| Final results | Contestant |
| Miss USA 2002 |
DelegatesThe Miss USA 2002 delegates were:Alabama – Tara TuckerAlaska – Christine OlejniczakArizona – Jennifer LenzArkansas – Amber BoatmanCalifornia – Tarah Marie PetersColorado – Keely GastonConnecticut – Alita DawsonDelaware – Deborah Ann HoffmanDistrict of Columbia – Shauntay HintonFlorida – Shannon FordGeorgia – Heather HoganHawaii – Juliet LighterIdaho – Hilary BallIllinois – Amanda ReynoldsIndiana – Kelly LloydIowa – Lauren WilsonKansas – Lindsey DouglasKentucky – Elizabeth ArnoldLouisiana – Anne-Katherine LenéMaine – Su-Ying LeungMaryland – Misti AdamsMassachusetts – Latoyia FosterMichigan – Rebekah Lynn DeckerMinnesota – Lanore van BurenMississippi – Heather SorianoMissouri – Melana ScantlinMontana – Meredith McCannelNebraska – Stacey SkidmoreNevada – Jenny ValdezNew Hampshire – Audra PaquetteNew Jersey – Robin WilliamsNew Mexico – Ellyn ColyerNew York – Karla CavalliNorth Carolina – Alison EnglishNorth Dakota – Amy ElkinsOhio – Kimberly MullenOklahoma – Kasie HeadOregon – Kristi WalkowskiPennsylvania – Nicole BighamRhode Island – Janet SuttonSouth Carolina – Ashley WilliamsSouth Dakota – Sitania SyrovatkaTennessee – Allison AldersonTexas – Kasi KellyUtah – Abbie SmithVermont – Brooke AngusVirginia – Julie LaipplyWashington – Carly ShortenWest Virginia – Angela DavenportWisconsin – Cortney OwenWyoming – Jeannie CroftsHistorical significanceDistrict of Columbia wins competition for the second time. This became the first win for the District of Columbia in 38 years, when Bobbie Johnson won Miss USA 1964.Kansas earns the 1st runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1996.Indiana earns the 2nd runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1966. Also had its highest placement since 1981.Minnesota earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time and reaches its highest placement since 1995.Connecticut earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time and reaches its highest placement since 1966.
Swimsuit controversyControversy erupted over the choice of swimsuits for the swimsuit final competition. Six of the 51 delegates chose an all-red one-piece, while the rest wore a two-piece option. The New York Post reported one contestant, Tarah Marie Peters of California, had points deducted by one judge because of her choice of a one-piece suit, thus eliminating her from the top five contestants. She was the only one of the top twelve who wore the one-piece option.CrossoversTen delegates had previously competed in either the Miss Teen USA or Miss America pageants, including the two Triple Crown winners who had competed in both. One delegate later won a Miss America state title.Delegates who had previously held a Miss Teen USA state title were:
Judges |
