Miss North Carolina USA


The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group since 1992. In 2025 and onwards, the pageant is now produced and directed by Ariana Blaize, Miss Universe Guyana 2024, under A Blaize Productions alongside the rest of former RPM states.
In 2005, Miss North Carolina USA Chelsea Cooley won the Miss USA crown and placed in the top 10 at Miss Universe. Cooley is the first former Miss North Carolina Teen USA to win the Miss title, although not the first to have competed at Miss Teen USA. The second Miss North Carolina Teen USA to win the Miss title was Erin O'Kelley in 2007. She went on to place in the top 15 at Miss USA 2007. Similar to the Miss Utah USA titleholders, both Cooley and Kelley placed at Miss USA, eclipsing their teen performances. In 2009, Kristen Dalton became the second woman from North Carolina to be crowned Miss USA. In 2019, Cheslie Kryst became the third woman from the state to win Miss USA. In both occasions, they placed top 10 on their respective Miss Universe pageants. The most recent placement was Jordyn McKey placing Top 20 in 2023.
North Carolina is currently third tied with Idaho in number of former teens have competed in this pageant: eight, after Indiana and Virginia, including three competed at Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia, respectively. In addition, two others have also competed at Miss America.
In 2019, Madeline Delp was the first woman in a wheelchair to win the top 10 finalists in a statewide Miss USA pageant.
Lourdes "Lulu" Madera of Raleigh was crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2025 on August 31, 2025, at The Twichell Auditorium in Spartanburg. She represented North Carolina at Miss USA 2025.

Results summary

Placements

  • Miss USAs: Chelsea Cooley, Kristen Dalton, Cheslie Kryst
  • 1st runners-up: Caelynn Miller-Keyes, Morgan Romano
  • 2nd runners-up: Constance Ann Dorn, Lynn Jenkins, Ashley Puleo
  • 3rd runners-up: Lyndia Ann Tarlton
  • 4th runners-up: Marcia Burton
  • Top 6/8: Pat Arnold, Madison Bryant
  • Top 10/11/12: Deborah Ann Falls, Dianne Jamerson, Cookie Noak, Rhonda Nobles, Tess Elliott, Ashley Love-Mills
  • Top 15/20: Shirley Bagwell, Erin O'Kelley, Jordyn McKey, Kenzie Hansley
North Carolina holds a record of 22 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Miss Photogenic: Pat Arnold
  • Miss Congeniality: Vera Morris, Monica Palumbo

    Winners

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