Miss USA 2012
Miss USA 2012, the 61st Miss USA pageant, was held on June 3, 2012, at The AXIS in Las Vegas, Nevada. Alyssa Campanella of California crowned her successor Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island at the end of the event. Culpo represented the United States at Miss Universe 2012 and became the eighth American to win the Miss Universe title.[1]
Miss USA 2012 | |
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![]() Olivia Culpo, Miss USA 2012 | |
Date | June 3, 2012 |
Presenters |
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Entertainment | |
Venue | The AXIS, Las Vegas, Nevada |
Broadcaster | |
Entrants | 51 |
Placements | 16 |
Winner | Olivia Culpo[lower-alpha 1]![]() |
Congeniality | Rebecca Hodge ![]() |
Photogenic | Alaina Bergsma ![]() |
After Culpo's Miss Universe win, first runner-up Nana Meriwether of Maryland inherited the Miss USA title. Meriwether became the second woman from Maryland to hold the Miss USA title; the first, Mary Leona Gage, was dethroned shortly after winning.
The 50 states and the District of Columbia competed for the prestigious title. The pageant was televised live on NBC in the U.S.A. The full preliminary round, as well as highlights from the event, is available over Xbox Live via their YouTube and MSN applications.
For the first time, a question was solicited from Twitter for the final question asked of one of the five finalists. That question picked by the pageant organizers - "Would you feel it would be fair that a transgender woman wins the Miss USA title over a natural-born woman?" - was answered by the winner, Culpo.[2]
Results
![](../I/m/Missusa2012placement.png)
Final Results | Contestant |
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Miss USA 2012 | |
1st Runner-Up | |
2nd Runner-Up | |
3rd Runner-Up |
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4th Runner-Up |
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Top 10 |
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Top 16 |
‡ Voted into Top 16 as America's Choice via Internet
∞ Culpo won Miss Universe 2012. Due to protocol, Culpo resigns her title as Miss USA 2012. 1st runner-up, Nana Meriwether, replaces her as Miss USA.
Special awards
Award | Contestant |
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Miss Congeniality |
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Miss Photogenic |
Order of announcement
Top 16
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Top 10
Top 5
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Delegates
State | Contestant | Hometown | Age[lower-alpha 2] | Height | Placement | Notes |
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Katherine Webb | Phenix City | 23 | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | Top 10 | Contestant in Splash |
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Jessica Kazmierczak | Salcha | 22 | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
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Erika Frantzve | Scottsdale | 23 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
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Kelsey Dow | Jonesboro | 21 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Top 16[lower-alpha 3] | |
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Natalie Pack | Palos Verdes | 23 | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | Contestant on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 12 | |
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Marybel Gonzalez | Denver | 24 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | Top 10 | |
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Marie Lynn Piscitelli | North Haven | 26 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | Previously Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2001 | |
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Krista Clausen | Georgetown | 19 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
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Monique Tompkins | Washington | 23 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
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Karina Brez[3] | Wellington | 23 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
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Jasmyn "Jazz" Wilkins | Johns Creek | 21 | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | 4th runner-up | |
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Brandie Cazimero | Kaneohe | 26 | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
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Erna Palic | Boise | 25 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
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Ashley Hooks | Flossmoor | 25 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
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Megan Myrehn | Carmel | 21 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 2008 | |
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Rebecca Hodge | Iowa City | 22 | 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | ||
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Gentry Miller | Overland Park | 24 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | Previously Miss Kansas Teen USA 2006 | |
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Amanda Mertz | Louisville | 25 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
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Erin Edmiston | Lafayette | 22 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Top 16 | |
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Rani Williamson | Portland | 25 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | Top 16 | Later resigned |
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Nana Meriwether | Potomac | 27 | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | 1st runner-up | Later crowned Miss USA 2012 after Culpo won Miss Universe 2012 |
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Natalie Pietrzak | Boston | 26 | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
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Kristen Danyal[4] | Detroit | 21 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Top 16 | Previously Miss Michigan Teen USA 2009 |
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Nitaya Panemalaythong | Savage | 26 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | Born in Thailand | |
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Myverick Garcia | Hattiesburg | 22 | 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | ||
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Katie Kearney | St. Louis | 23 | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
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Autumn Muller[5] | Billings | 25 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | Previously Miss Montana Teen USA 2004 | |
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Amy Spilker | Malcolm | 22 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
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Jade Kelsall | Eneterprise | 26 | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | 3rd runner-up | |
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Ryanne Harms | Rochester | 23 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
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Michelle Leonardo | Tinton Falls | 20 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Top 10 | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2008 |
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Jessica Martin | Las Cruces | 21 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | Previously Miss New Mexico Earth 2010 | |
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Johanna Sambucini | Brooklyn | 25 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
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Sydney Perry | Wrightsville Beach | 21 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2008 | |
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Jaci Stofferahn | Fargo | 23 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
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Audrey Bolte | Batavia | 23 | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 2nd runner-up | |
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Lauren Lundeen | Edmond | 20 | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | Top 10 | |
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Alaina Bergsma | Eugene | 22 | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
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Sheena Monnin | Cranberry Township | 27 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Later resigned | |
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Olivia Culpo[6][7] | Cranston | 20 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)[8] | Miss USA 2012 | Later Miss Universe 2012 |
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Erika Powell | Greenville | 27 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | Top 16 | Previously Miss South Carolina 2005 |
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Taylor Neisen | Rapid City | 20 | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
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Jessica Hibler | Nashville | 23 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | Top 16 | |
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Brittany Booker | Houston | 21 | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | Top 10 | |
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Kendyl Bell | Sandy | 25 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
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Jamie Dragon | Stowe | 26 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
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Catherine Muldoon | Virginia Beach | 26 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2004 | |
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Christina Clarke | Sammamish | 22 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
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Andrea Rogers | Martinsburg | 24 | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
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Emily Guerin[9] | Monroe | 23 | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
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Holly Allen[10] | Lander | 24 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | Later a contestant on Big Brother 21 | |
Judges
Preliminary Judges
- Michael Agbabian
- Cindy Barshop
- Stefan C. Campbell
- Renee Simon
- Alison Taub
- Kim Wagner
- Randall Winston
Final Judges
Background music
- Opening Fashion Show – "Turn Up the Radio" (Remix) by Madonna, and "LaserLight" by Jessie J featuring David Guetta (background music)
- Swimsuit Competition – "#1Nite (One Night)" and "You Make Me Feel..." by Cobra Starship (live performance)
- Evening Gown Competition – "Lights" (Original and instrumental versions) by Ellie Goulding (background music)
- Top 5 Final Look – "America's Most Wanted" by Akon (live performance)
Historical significance
- Rhode Island wins the competition for the first time, surpasses its previous highest placement in 2007 and becoming the 31st state who does it for the first time. Would go on to win Miss Universe 2012 in December of that year as USA.
- Maryland earns the 1st runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1968. Also became the second woman from Maryland to win the Miss USA title. Prior to this Mary Leona Gage, outright winner of Miss USA 1957, was disqualified after discovered she had been married and had two children. She finished as 1st runner-up, but succeeded as Miss USA 2012 after Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe.
- Ohio earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time and reaches its highest placement since Halle Berry in 1986.
- Nevada earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time and reaches its highest placement since 2007.
- Georgia earns the 4th runner-up position for the sixth time. The last time it placed this was in 1989.
- States that placed in the top 16 the previous year were Alabama, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
- Tennessee made its seventh straight placement.
- Alabama and Maine placed for the third consecutive year.
- Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina and Texas made their second consecutive placement.
- Ohio last placed in 2006.
- Louisiana and Nevada last placed in 2007.
- New Jersey and Rhode Island last placed in 2008.
- Arkansas, Colorado, Michigan and Oklahoma last placed in 2010. Arkansas Kelsey Dow made it past the first elimination due to new media technology (Internet/SMS vote).
- California breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 2005 after Natalie Pack failed to place in the semifinals.
- Missouri breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 2010.
Notes
- When Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe 2012, 1st runner-up Nana Meriwether of Maryland
inherited the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. - Ages at the time of the pageant
- Voted per America's Choice internet/SMS
References
- "EXCLUSIVE: Miss USA 2012 is Olivia Culpo!". BeautyMania.Biz. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
- Miss USA 2012: Miss Rhode Island Takes the Crown
- "Wellington's Karina Brez crowned new Miss Florida USA". The Palm Beach Post. July 16, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
- Kristen Danyal Crowned Miss Michigan USA 2012
- Autumn Muller Crowned Miss Montana USA 2012
- Olivia Culpo Crowned Miss Rhode Island USA 2012
- Miss Rhode Island, Cranston's Olivia Culpo, wins Miss USA pageant
- "Olivia Culpo". Trump Model Management. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
- Emily Guerin Crowned Miss Wisconsin USA 2012
- Holly Allen Crowned Miss Wyoming USA 2012