The Miss Minnesota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

 in the Miss USA

Miss USA

The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...

 pageant.

Despite a strong start in the first three years of competition at Miss USA, Minnesota has been largely unsuccessful overall. In more recent years Minnesota has twice received recognition with the Miss Photogenic award.

Barbara Peterson

Barbara Peterson

-External links:*...

 was the first Miss Minnesota USA to be crowned Miss USA (in 1976), and was also the first Miss USA to be unplaced at Miss Universe. Her sister Polly Peterson was Miss Minnesota USA 1981.

Placements

• Winners: Barbara Peterson
  Barbara Peterson
  -External links:*...
  
   (1976)
• 2nd runners-up: Deborah Cossette (1977)
• 3rd runners-up: Lanore Van Buren (2002)
• 4th runners-up: Kari Lee Johnson (1985)
• Top 6: Angelique de Maison (1995)
• Top 10: Carla Peterson (1980)
• 'Top 11/12: Jolene Stravrakis (1994)
• Top 15: Jodell Stirmlinger (1952), Mary Ann Papke (1953), Dawn Joyce (1954), Kaylee Unverzagt (2008), Erica Nego (2009)

Awards

• Miss Congeniality: Elizabeth Jane Carroll (1965), Janet Tveita (1990), Dottie Cannon
  Dottie Cannon
  Dorothea Amanda "Dottie" Cannon is a beauty queen from Eagan, Minnesota who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.Cannon was born to Harry & Melodee Trapp Cannon. She has one brother named Samuel....
  
   (2006)
• Miss Photogenic: Paige Swenson (2000), Sarah Cahill
  Sarah Cahill
  Sarah Mae Cahill is a beauty queen from Waseca, Minnesota, who has competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants. She was born to Steven & Marcyne Tietz Cahill. She has one brother named Joseph....
  
   (2003)

Winners

Year	Name	Hometown	Age1	Placement at Miss USA	Special awards at Miss USA	Notes
2012 Miss USA 2012 Miss USA 2012, will be the 61st Miss USA pageant. It will be held in June of 2012. The winner will represent the United States in Miss Universe 2012. Miss USA 2011, Alyssa Campanella of California will crown her successor at the end of this event...	Nitaya Panemalaythong	Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
2011 Miss USA 2011 Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end...	Brittany Thelemann	Plymouth Plymouth, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 65,894 people, 24,820 households, and 17,647 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,002.0 persons per square mile . There were 25,258 housing units at an average density of 767.4 per square mile...	23			Voted Miss Congeniality at Miss Minnesota USA 2011
2010 Miss USA 2010 Miss USA 2010, the 59th edition of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 16, 2010. Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina, crowned her successor, Rima Fakih of Michigan as Miss USA 2010 at the...	Courtney Basara	Duluth Duluth, Minnesota Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...	20
2009 Miss USA 2009 Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009...	Erica Nego	Plymouth Plymouth, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 65,894 people, 24,820 households, and 17,647 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,002.0 persons per square mile . There were 25,258 housing units at an average density of 767.4 per square mile...	24	Top 15, finishing in 12th place		Later Miss Universe Ghana 2011 Miss Universe 2011 Miss Universe 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. Ximena Navarrete of Mexico crowned her successor, Leila Lopes of Angola, at the end of this event...
2008 Miss USA 2008 Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee...	Kaylee Unverzagt	Eagan Eagan, Minnesota Eagan is a city south of Saint Paul in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. Eagan and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the fifteenth largest...	20	Top 15, finishing in 15th place
2007 Miss USA 2007 Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee....	Alla Ilushka Alla Ilushka Alla Igorevna Ilushka is a beauty queen from Eden Prairie, Minnesota who competed for in the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who has competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant....	Eden Prairie Eden Prairie, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 54,901 people, 20,457 households, and 14,579 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile...	22			Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA Miss Minnesota Teen USA The Miss Minnesota Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is directed by Future Productions....  2002, top 10 at Miss Teen USA 2002
2006 Miss USA 2006 Miss USA 2006, the 55th Miss USA pageant, was held at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky...	Dottie Cannon Dottie Cannon Dorothea Amanda "Dottie" Cannon is a beauty queen from Eagan, Minnesota who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.Cannon was born to Harry & Melodee Trapp Cannon. She has one brother named Samuel....	Eagan Eagan, Minnesota Eagan is a city south of Saint Paul in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. Eagan and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the fifteenth largest...	22		Miss Congeniality
2005 Miss USA 2005 Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005...	Carrie Lee Carrie Lee Carrie Lee is a beauty queen from Sebeka, Minnesota who won the Miss Minnesota USA title in 2005 and competed in the Miss USA pageant.Lee won the Miss Minnesota USA title in a state pageant held in Bloomington in late 2005. This was her fourth attempt at the title as she had placed third runner-up...	Sebeka Sebeka, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 710 people, 332 households, and 188 families residing in the city. The population density was 289.1 people per square mile . There were 378 housing units at an average density of 153.9 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.01% White, 0.14%...	25
2004 Miss USA 2004 The Miss USA 2004 pageant was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 12, 2004. The winner of the beauty pageant was Shandi Finnessey, who became the first winner from the state of Missouri...	Jessica Dereschuk Jessica Dereschuk Jessica Ann Dereschuk is a beauty queen from Stacy, Minnesota, who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.Dereschuk was born to Gregory & Valarie Vaught Dereschuk. She has two brothers named Nicholas and Mikhail and one sister named Alexandra.Dereschuk won the Miss Minnesota USA title in her first...	Stacy Stacy, Minnesota Stacy is a city in Chisago County, Minnesota, United States, along the Sunrise River. The population was 1,456 at the 2010 census.Interstate 35 serves as a main arterial route for the community.-Geography:...	20
2003 Miss USA 2003 The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island...	Sarah Cahill Sarah Cahill Sarah Mae Cahill is a beauty queen from Waseca, Minnesota, who has competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants. She was born to Steven & Marcyne Tietz Cahill. She has one brother named Joseph....	Waseca Waseca, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 8,493 people, 3,388 households, and 2,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,215.6 people per square mile . There were 3,563 housing units at an average density of 929.5 per square mile...	24		Miss Photogenic	Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA Miss Minnesota Teen USA The Miss Minnesota Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is directed by Future Productions....  1996
2002 Miss USA 2002 The Miss USA 2002 pageant was held in Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia, who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas....	Lanore Van Buren	Edina Edina, Minnesota Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...	26	3rd runner-up	Bluepoint Apparel Swimsuit and Fitness Award
2001 Miss USA 2001 Miss USA 2001, the 50th edition of the Miss USA pageant was held at the Genesis Convention Center, Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2001. The event was won by Kandace Krueger of Texas, who was crowned by outgoing queen Lynnette Cole of Tennessee....	Anne Marie Clausen	Golden Valley Golden Valley, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 20,281 people, 8,449 households, and 5,508 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,982.3 people per square mile . There were 8,589 housing units at an average density of 839.5 per square mile...
2000 Miss USA 2000 Miss USA 2000, the forty-ninth Miss USA pageant, was held in Branson, Missouri at The Grand Palace on February 4, 2000.At the conclusion of the final competition, Lynnette Cole of Tennessee was crowned by outgoing titleholder Kimberly Pressler of New York....	Paige Swenson	Fridley Fridley, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 27,449 people, 11,328 households, and 7,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,701.3 people per square mile . There were 11,504 housing units at an average density of 1,132.1 per square mile...			Miss Photogenic	Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA Miss Minnesota Teen USA The Miss Minnesota Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is directed by Future Productions....  1994, placed 13th at Nationals
1999 Miss USA 1999 Miss USA 1999, the forty-eighth Miss USA pageant, was held at the Grande Palace Theatre in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 1999.At the conclusion of the final competition, Kimberly Pressler of New York, was crowned by outgoing titleholder Shawnae Jebbia of Massachusetts...	Crystal Vandenberg	Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Center, Minnesota As of the census of 2010, there were 30,104 residents in Brooklyn Center. The racial makeup of the city was 49% White, 26% African American, 1% Native American, 14% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 5% from other races, and 4% from two or more races...	19
1998 Miss USA 1998 Miss USA 1998, the 47th Miss USA pageant, was held in Shreveport, Louisiana in March, 1998. The preliminary competition was held on 6 March 1998 and the final competition on 10 March 1998...	Josan Hengen	Eden Prairie/Circle Pines, Minnesota	19
1997 Miss USA 1997 Miss USA 1997, the forty-sixth Miss USA pageant, was held at Shreveport, Louisiana in January and February, 1997. Delegates arrived in the city on January 19, the preliminary competition was held on February 2, 1997 and the final competition on February 5, 1997...	Melissa Hall	Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...				Later Mrs. Minnesota America 2004 and Top 10 semi-finalist at Mrs. America Mrs. America Mrs. America Pageant honors married women throughout the United States of America. Each of the 51 contestants , ranging in age from the 20s to 50s, earns the right to participate in the national event by winning her state competition. These state events are under the direction of Mrs. America state...  2004 under her married name, Melissa Young.
1996 Miss USA 1996 Miss USA 1996, the forty-fifth Miss USA pageant, was held at South Padre Island, Texas culminating in the final competition and crowning on February 2, 1996....	Karin Smith	Brooklyn Park Brooklyn Park, Minnesota According to the 2010 census, there were 75,781 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 52% White, 24% African American, 1% Native American, 15% Asian, 42 residents identifying themselves as Pacific Islander, 4% from other races, and 4% from two or more races...	25			Contestant on ABC-TV "The Bachelor"
1995 Miss USA 1995 Miss USA 1995, the forty-fourth Miss USA pageant, was held at South Padre Island, Texas culminating in the final competition and crowning on February 10, 1995....	Angelique de Maison	St. Louis Park St. Louis Park, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...		Top 6 Finalist, finishing in 5th place
1994 Miss USA 1994 Miss USA 1994, the 43rd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the South Padre Island Convention Centre on South Padre Island, Texas on 11 February 1994...	Jolene Stravrakis	Burnsville Burnsville, Minnesota Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...		Semifinalist, finishing in 10th place		Five years after briefly holding the title in 1988, Stravraki won the title again in her last year of eligibility after having her criminal record expunged.
1993 Miss USA 1993 Miss USA 1993, the 42nd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on 19 February 1993.At the conclusion of the final competition, Kenya Moore of Michigan was crowned by outgoing titleholder Shannon Marketic of California...	Kristi Bennecke	Anoka Anoka, Minnesota At the 2000 census, there were 18,076 people, 7,262 households and 4,408 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,709.0 per square mile . There were 7,398 housing units at an average density of 1,108.7 per square mile...
1992 Miss USA 1992 Miss USA 1992, the 41st Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on 7 February 1992.At the conclusion of the final competition, Shannon Marketic of California was crowned by outgoing titleholder Kelli McCarty of Kansas...	Amber Rue	Minneapolis				Completed her reign amid publicity about a "public lovers' quarrel involving allegations of coerced sex, extortion, fraud and defamation of character".
1991 Miss USA 1991 Miss USA 1991, the 40th Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on 22 February 1991.At the conclusion of the final competition, Kelli McCarty of Kansas was crowned by outgoing titleholder Carole Gist of Michigan...	April Herke	Eden Prairie				4th runner up in Miss Oktoberfest 1990
1990 Miss USA 1990 Miss USA 1990, the 39th Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on March 2, 1990.At the conclusion of the final competition, Carole Gist of Michigan was crowned by outgoing titleholder Gretchen Polhemus of Texas...	Janet Tveita	Minneapolis			Miss Congeniality
1989	Julie Knutson	Crystal Crystal, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 22,698 people, 9,389 households, and 6,102 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,929.3 people per square mile . There were 9,481 housing units at an average density of 1,641.3 per square mile...
1988	Julie Nelson	Bloomington Bloomington, Minnesota Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...				Second runner-up to Bolich, replaced Stavrakis. She was crowned less than a month before she competed in the Miss USA pageant.
	Jolene Stavrakis	Apple Valley Apple Valley, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 45,527 people, 16,344 households, and 12,405 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,625.5 people per square mile . There were 16,536 housing units at an average density of 953.6 per square mile...				Bolich's first runner-up and replacement. Resigned days later after she too revealed she had pleaded guilty to shoplifting in 1986.
	Sue Bolich	Mound Mound, Minnesota Mound is a settlement in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. ZIP code: 55364. The population was 9,052 at the 2010 census. Mound is the birthplace of the Tonka truck, named after Lake Minnetonka. Mound is also the birthplace of actor Kevin Sorbo, who portrayed Hercules on the television...				Reigned from November 1987 - February 1988, resigned after she was arrested for shoplifting.
1987	Christine Rosenberger	South St. Paul South St. Paul, Minnesota South St. Paul is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, immediately south and southeast of the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is also southeast of West St. Paul, Minnesota. The population was 20,160 at the 2010 census. It is notable as one of the historic major meat packing cities in the United...
1986	Cynthia Peterson	Edina
1985	Kari Lee Johnson	Minneapolis		4th runner-up
1984	Martha Mork	Edina
1983	Carolyn Mattson	New Hope New Hope, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 20,873 people, 8,665 households, and 5,268 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,098.6 people per square mile . There were 8,746 housing units at an average density of 1,717.4 per square mile...
1982	Lori Kmetz	New Brighton New Brighton, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile...
1981	Polly Peterson Polly Peterson Polly Suzanne Peterson Bowles is a beauty queen from Edina, Minnesota who has held the Miss Minnesota USA title.Peterson was born to C. Donald & Gretchen Palen Peterson. She has four brothers named Todd, Scott, Craig, and Mark and one sister named Barbara.She competed in many pageants during her...	Edina
1980	Carla Peterson	Albert Lea Albert Lea, Minnesota Albert Lea is a city in and the county seat of Freeborn County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 18,016 at the 2010 census....		Semi-finalist, finishing in 12th place
1979	Cynthia Sue Lee	St. Paul
1978	Janey Gohl Janey Gohl Janey Lee Gohl is a beauty queen from St. Cloud, Minnesota who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.Gohl was born to Roger & Bernice Bromenschenkel Gohl...	St. Cloud St. Cloud, Minnesota St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
1977	Deborah Cossette	Minneapolis		2nd runner-up
1976	Barbara Peterson Barbara Peterson -External links:*...	Edina		Winner		Non semifinalist at Miss Universe 1976
1975	Dawn Lamotte	St. Paul
1974	Gayle Johnson	Minneapolis
1973	Cyndi James	Minneapolis
1972	Darlene Koskiniemi	Roseville Roseville, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile...
1971	Shirley Kittleson	Minneapolis
1970	Sally Strickland	St. Paul
1969	Laureen Darling	Minneapolis
1968	Arlene Larson	Minneapolis
1967	Betty Ann Brewer	Richfield Richfield, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 34,439 people, 15,073 households, and 8,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,993.9 people per square mile . There were 15,357 housing units at an average density of 2,226.9 per square mile...
1966	Patricia Thatcher
1965	Elizabeth Jane Carroll	Bloomington			Miss Congeniality
1960-64	No Representative
1959	Muriel Fairbanks	Minneapolis
1958	Sue Bouchard	Minneapolis
1957	Mary Margaret Ford	Minneapolis
1956	Marilyn Johnson	Minneapolis
1955	Sally Ann Colombo	Stillwater
1954	Dawn Joyce	Minneapolis		Semi-finalist
1953	Mary Ann Papke	Minneapolis		Semi-finalist
1952	Jodell Stirmlinger	St. Paul		Semi-finalist

¹ Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant

External links

• Official Website
• Miss Minnesota USA 2009 Official Website