Fun Facts about the 2014 Competition

Every year I make a list of interesting (at least to me) statistics I notice about the Miss America competition.

Here are my random musings from this year's competition:

Congratulations to OHIO's Mackenzie Bart (and Roxy) for breaking the Buckeye state's 21-year dry spell.  Mackenzie (and Roxy's) Top 10 Finalist placement was Ohio's first since 1994.

Mackenzie Bart
Miss Ohio 2014
Top 10 Finalist & Talent Prelim winner
photo from Miss Ohio Scholarship program Facebook page

This is MASSACUSETTS' first-EVER 4th Runner-up placement.  Over 88 competitions Massachusetts has had three (3) 1st Runners-up, two (2) 2nd Runners-up, and a 3rd Runner-up.  Lauren brought Massachusetts its seventh (7th) Top 5 placement and its first in the 4th Runner-up spot.

Lauren Kuhn
Miss Massachusetts 2014
4th Runner-up
photo by Steve Smith Photography via the Miss Massachusetts MAO Facebook page

KIRA competed in the Alpha 7 spot (Monday afternoon Interview-2nd group; Tues night Talent-1st talent group) and was only the second woman to make Top 10 from that spot in 23 years.

Kira Kazantsev
Miss New York 2014
MISS AMERICA 2015
photo from Miss New York organization Facebook page

This is the 6th CONSECUTIVE year that TEXAS has at least made the semi-finals, and the 13th year out of the last 16.  Texas has not gone two years in a row without making the semi-finals in that period.

Monique Evans
Miss Texas 2014
Top 16 Semi-Finalist
photo from Miss Texas Pageant, Inc. Facebook page

FLORIDA's Tori Cowen gave the Sunshine State its 7th set of back-to-back Top 5 Finalists (1978 & 1979; 1977 & 1978; 1950 & 1951; 1944 & 1945; 1943 & 1944; 1937 & 1938).

Victoria "Tori" Cowen
Miss Florida 2014
3rd Runner-up & Swimsuit Prelim winner
photo from Miss Florida 2014 Victoria Cowen Facebook page

Both ALABAMA and MISSISSIPPI made Top 10 for first time in eight (8) years.

Caitlin Brunell
Miss Alabama 2014
Top 10 Finalist
photo from Miss Alabama Pageant, Inc. Facebook page

Jasmine Murray
Miss Mississippi 2014
Top 10 Finalist
photo from Miss Mississippi Pageant Facebook page

OKLAHOMA has made the semi-finals or better for six (6) consecutive years and twelve (12) of the last fourteen (14) years.

Alex Eppler
Miss Oklahoma 2014
Top 10 Finalist & Swimsuit Prelim winner
photo from Leigh Thompson Photography via the Miss Oklahoma Facebook page

KENTUCKY has made the semi-finals six (6) of the last seven (7) years.

Ramsey Carpenter
Miss Kentucky 2014
Top 12 Semi-Finalist & Talent Prelim winner
photo from Miss Kentucky Pageant Facebook page

NEVADA's Non-Finalist Talent award is the state's first award in 10 years, since Elizabeth Muto's Non-Finalist Interview win in 2004.

Ellie Smith
Miss Nevada 2014
Non-Finalist Talent award winner
photo from Ellie Smith (Miss Nevada) Facebook page

PENNSYLVANIA won its first awards in eight (8) years.

Amanda Smith
Miss Pennsylvania 2014
Non-Finalist Talent award winner & Talent Prelim winner
photo from Matt Boyd Photography via Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Organization Facebook page

IDAHO'S America's Choice Top 16 Semi-Finalist spot is the state's first award since a Non-Finalist Talent award in 2008.

Sierra Sandison
Miss Idaho 2014
Top 16 Semi-Finalist & America's Choice winner
photo from Miss Idaho organization Facebook page

ARKANSAS' Ashton Campbell gave the Razorback State its 13th Semi-Finalist (or better) in the last 22 years (59%).

Ashton Campbell
Miss Arkansas 2014
2nd Runner-up

Although it's not unusual, having the entire Top 5 come from only two regions of the country doesn't happen too often.  Recently, here's when it's happened (6 of the last 23 years):
2014 - South-3 (Virginia, Arkansas , & Florida) & Northeast-2 (New York & Massachusetts)
2010 - South-4 (Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky) & West-1 (California)
2007 - South-5(!!!)(Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama)
2006 - South-4 (Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia) & Northeast-1 (District of Columbia)
1998 - South-4 (Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky) & Midwest-1 (Missouri)
1992 - South-2 (Florida & Oklahoma) & Midwest-3 (Iowa, Indiana, Kansas)

Top 5 at Miss America, September, 2013
(l. to r.-Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia)

This is the first time since 1995 (Tiffany Stoker-Miss California 1995 & Swimsuit Prelim winner) that the highest a prelim winner has placed has been at the 3rd Runner-up spot.  The only other time it has happened was in 1955 (Clara Arnold-Miss North Carolina 1955 & Swimsuit Prelim winner),
AND
This is the first time since 2008 (Kristen Haglund-Swimsuit-MISS AMERICA) that only one prelim winner has made Top 5. The only others years in which a single prelim winner made Top 5 were 1999 (Heather French-MISS AMERICA) and 1993 (Titilayo Adedokun-2nd RU).

Tori Cowen
Miss Florida 2014
3rd Runner-up & Swimsuit Prelim winner

Questions, corrections, feedback, or suggestions?  Post on the CROWNED Facebook page or email me at crownedmissa@gmail.com.