For the state pageant affiliated with Miss America, see Miss Alabama.
Miss Alabama USA
Beauty pageant
Formation1952
HeadquartersBirmingham
LocationAlabama
MembershipMiss USA
LanguageEnglish
Key peopleJanice McDonald
Paula Miles
WebsiteOfficial website

Miss Alabama USA, previously known as Miss Alabama Universe,[1] is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by its winner. The pageant is directed by RPM Productions.

Alabama's most successful placement was in 1967, when Sylvia Hitchcock was crowned Miss USA. She later went on to be crowned Miss Universe 1967 as well. Alabama's most recent placement was in 2023, when Sophie Burzynski placed Top 20.

The current Miss Alabama USA is Kennedy Whisenant of Birmingham, who was crowned on September 20, 2025 at Bologna Performing Arts Center in Cleveland. Whisenant represented Alabama at Miss USA 2025.

Results summary

Placements in Miss USA

  • Miss USA: Sylvia Hitchcock (Miss Universe 1967)[2]
  • 1st Runners-Up: Pamela Flowers (1975), Candace Brown (1992), Michelle Arnette (2003), Mary-Margaret McCord (2013)
  • 2nd Runners-Up: Doris Edwards (1953), Judith Carlson (1958), Margaret Gordon (1960), Jina Mitchell (2000), Madeline Mitchell (2011)
  • 3rd Runner-Up: Pamela "Pam" Rigas (1980)
  • 4th Runner-Up: Suellen Robinson (1961), Kelly Hutchinson (2020)
  • Top 5: Peyton Brown (2016)
  • Top 10/11/12: JoAnne Henderson (1981), Candy Carley (1991), Autumn Smith (1997), Tara Tucker (2002), Tara Darby (2004), Haleigh Stidham (2006), Audrey Moore (2010), Katherine Webb (2012), Madison Guthrie (2015), Kennedy Whisenant (2025)
  • Top 15/20: Pat Sullivan (1959), Dinah "Diana" Armstrong (1963), Pamela Jean Borgfeldt (1964), Leigh Sanford (1965), Claudia Robinson (1968), Hitsy Parnell (1969), Jesica Ahlberg (2014), Sophie Burzynski (2023)

Alabama has a record of 32 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Miss Congeniality: Peyton Brown (2016)
  • Miss Photogenic: Pamela Flowers (1975), Rebecca Moore (2007), Audrey Moore (2010)

Titleholders

Color key
  • Winner
  • Runner-up
  • Semi-finalist
YearNameHometownAge[a]Local titlePlacement at Miss USASpecial awards at Miss USANotes
2025Kennedy WhisenantBirmingham24Miss North CentralTop 10
2024Diane Westhoven[3]Vestavia21Miss Southern Plains
2023Sophie Burzynski[4]Auburn21Miss Auburn-OpelikaTop 20
2022Katelyn Vinson[5]Dothan21Miss Dothan
2021Alexandria Flanigan[6]Cullman24Miss Cullman
2020Kelly Hutchinson[7]Auburn22Miss Auburn-Opelika4th runner-up
2019Hannah McMurphy[9]Tuscaloosa20Miss Indian Hills
2018Hannah Brown[10]Northport23Miss West Alabama
2017Baylee Smith[11]Tuscaloosa19Miss Pike County
2016Peyton Brown[12]Eufaula21Miss EufaulaTop 5Miss Congeniality
2015Madison Guthrie[14]Hoover20Miss HooverTop 11
2014Jesica Ahlberg[15]Birmingham23Miss Central AlabamaTop 20
2013Mary-Margaret McCord[16]Gadsden23Miss Gadsden1st runner-up
2012Katherine Elizabeth Webb[17]Phenix City22Miss East AlabamaTop 10
2011Madeline Grace Mitchell[18]Russellville21Miss Tuscaloosa2nd runner-up
2010Audrey Moore[19]Hoover20Top 10Miss Photogenic[20]
2009Rachel Philippona[21]Dothan19
2008Keisha Walding[22]Dothan24
2007Rebecca MooreVestavia Hills19Miss Photogenic
2006Haleigh StidhamBirmingham23Top 10
2005Jessica TinneyBirmingham21
2004Tara DarbyBirmingham22Top 10
2003Michelle ArnetteDothan251st runner-up
2002Tara TuckerBirmingham23Top 12
2001Laura HoffmanBirmingham20
2000Jina MitchellTrussville222nd runner-up
1999Doree WalkerGardendale24
1998Paige BrooksMobile26
1997Autumn Smith[23]Chelsea22Top 10
1996Benita Brooks[24]Huntsville25
1995Anna MingusEnterprise-
1994Malaea Nelms[25]Alexandria-
1993Toni JohnsonMontgomery22
1992Candace Michelle BrownAuburn231st runner-up[26]
1991Candy CarleyMobile25Top 11
1990Natalie MooreHoover
1989Sheri MooneyPelham20
1988Rhonda Mooney[27]Pelham21
1987Rhonda Leigh Garrett[28]Birmingham21
1986Heather Howard[29]Huntsville20
1985Allison SawyerBirmingham-
1984Kelly FlowersHueytown20
1983Terri LaneBirmingham20
1982Lisa Wheeler[30]Birmingham19
1981JoAnne Henderson[31]Tuscaloosa21Top 12
1980Pamela Helena "Pam" RigasTroy193rd runner-up[32]
1979Rose Burch[34]Mobile20
1978Eva Jo Stancil[35]Birmingham22
1977Cheryl Burgess[1]Alexandria18
1976Kyle Ellis[36]Decatur22
1975Pamela Renee FlowersHeadland191st runner-upMiss Photogenic[37]
1974Iva Wyna LavisBirmingham19
1973Diane FouilheEnterprise19
1972Elaine Barnhill[38]Robertsdale21
1971Renee Smith[39]Mobile18
1970Kathleen "Kathy" Bryant[40]Bay Minette19
1969Hitsy Parnell[41]Thomasville20Top 15
1968Claudia RobinsonMobile18Top 15Top 15 Best in Swimsuit[42]
1967Sylvia Louise Hitchcock[43]Tuscaloosa21Miss USA 1967
1966Susan Scott[44]Clanton19
1965Leigh StanfordMontgomery18Top 15
1964Pamela Jean Borgfeldt[45]Anniston[45]21Top 15
1963Dinah "Diana" Irene Armstrong[46]Montgomery19Top 15[47]
1962Jerolyn Ridgeway[48]Fort Payne20
1961Suellen Robinson[49]Fairfax194th runner-up
1960Margaret GordonHomewood212nd runner-up
1959Pat Sullivan[50]Birmingham21Top 15
1958Judith Lucille Carlson[51]Birmingham182nd runner-up
colspan=8
1953Doris Edwards[52]Birmingham252nd runner-up
1952Gadsden24

Notes

  1. ^ Age at the time of the crowning

References

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  2. ^ "Miss Alabama is Miss USA". The Independent Record. 21 May 1967. p. 1. – via Newspapers.com.
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  4. ^ "Miss Auburn-Opelika crowned Miss Alabama USA 2023". AL.com. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
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  6. ^ "Cullman's Alexandria Flanigan crowned Miss Alabama USA". The Cullman Tribune. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  7. ^ Colurso, Mary (6 October 2019). "Miss Alabama USA 2020: Miss Auburn-Opelika takes the crown". AL.com
  8. ^ Thrash, Rodney (24 June 2013). "Cobb Contestants Shine at Miss Georgia Pageant". Marietta Patch
  9. ^ Sison, Bree (18 November 2018). "University of Alabama students win Miss Alabama USA, Miss Teen Alabama USA". WBRC. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
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  12. ^ Sutton, Amber (7 November 2015). "Peyton Brown, of Eufaula, crowned Miss Alabama USA 2016". The Huntsville Times. Huntsville, AL: Advance Publications. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
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