Remember, these statistics include sixty (60) competitions between 1954 and 2013 (the television years).
Here's how to read the list:
STATE NAME - 10(5)-W,1,2,3,4
The first number indicates the number of times a state has made the Top 10.
The number in parentheses indicates the number of times has placed in the Top 5.
W = Miss America winner
1 = 1st Runner-up
2 = 2nd Runner-up
3 = 3rd Runner-up
4 = 4th Runner-up
# 41 (tie) - NORTH DAKOTA - 3(0)
North Dakota's first Top 10 Finalist placement happened in 1976 when Donna Grotberg, an 18 year-old pianist, was called forward by Bert Parks. Since then, Tina Curran (1988) and Roxana Saberi (1997) have represented North Dakota in Top 10. North Dakota can also claim two Talent Prelim wins and seven Non-Finalist Talent (NFT) awards.
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| Roxana Saberi Miss North Dakota 1997 Top 10 Finalist |
# 41 (tie) - DELAWARE - 3(0)
Delaware gave us the first African-American contestant to ever make the Top 10, Debora Lipford in 1976. The state's other two Top 10 finishes were in 1972 (Catherine Lawton, who also won her Talent Prelim) and 2010 (Kayla Martell). Other awards have included a Top 15, two Talent Prelim wins, a Swimsuit Prelim win, 8 NFTs and a Non-Finalist Interview win. Delaware had two semi-finalists and a Talent Prelim win prior to the television era.
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| Debora Lipford Miss Delaware 1976 Top 10 Finalist |
# 40 - WEST VIRGINIA - 3(1)-2
After five semi-finalists in the pre-television era, West Virginia's Ella Kessel won a Prelim Swimsuit award and placed as 2nd Runner-up in 1964. Since then, two other women have made Top 10 (Deborah Davis in 1979 and Danae DeMasi in 2001), and Misses West Virginia have also won another Swimsuit Prelim, six NFTs and a Non-Finalist Interview award.
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| Ella Kessel Miss West Virginia 1964 2nd Runner-up & Swimsuit Prelim winner |
# 39 - CONNECTICUT - 5(0)
Home to MARION BERGERON, MISS AMERICA 1933, Connecticut has had five Top 10 finalists in the television era: Billie Turner in 1958 (who also won her Talent Prelim), Jeanne Caruso in 1980, Sylvia Gomes in 1999, Tanisha Brito in 2002, and Kaitlyn Tarpey at the January, 2013 competition. Additionally, Connecticut can boast 3 Talent Prelim wins, a Swimsuit Prelim win, and 10 NFTs.
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| Jeanne Caruso Miss Connecticut 1980 Top 10 Finalist |
# 38 - NEBRASKA - 5(1)-W
Nebraska made a splash in 1962 when fire baton-twirling Mary Lee Jepsen won her Prelim Talent and made the Top 10. Since then, three other women have made Top 10 (Guylyn Remmenga in 1978 who also won her Talent Prelim, Krstin Lowenberg in 1983, and Brittany Jeffers in 2009) before TERESA SCANLAN, Miss Nebraska 2010, won her Prelim Talent and became Nebraska's first (to date) MISS AMERICA in 2011. Nebraska also has a Top 20 Semi-Finalist, four Talent Prelim wins, a Swimsuit Prelim win, and 12 NFTs to its credit. Although Teresa is constantly being referred to as the youngest Miss America ever (17 when she won), in actuality, the very first Miss America, Margaret Gorman, was only 15 when she won in 1921, and Bette Cooper (Miss America 1937, the one who ran away with her escort after her crowning) was also 17 when she won.
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| Guylynn Remmenga Miss Nebraska 1978 Top 10 Finalist & Talent Prelim winner |
# 37 - NEVADA - 5(2)-2,3
Nevada, home to the Las Vegas local that has won state more times than any other local in the country (see my earlier blog post), has two Top 5 finalists: Stacie James (2nd Runner-up & Talent Prelim win in 1987) and Teresa Benitez (3rd Runner-up in 2002). Three other Nevada women have made Top 10 (Loni Gravelle in 1957, Cheryle Thompson in 1963, and Joan Burachio in 1971), and there have also been six NFTs and a Swimsuit Prelim win over the years.
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| Stacie James Miss Nevada 1987 2nd Runner-up & Talent Prelim winner |
Special Bonus Miss Nevada
# 36 - NEW MEXICO - 7(0)
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| Dawn Wells Miss Nevada 1959 Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island |
New Mexico first broke into the Top 10 in 1961 and placed in the Top 10 three more times during the 1960s (Myrtice Conn-1961, Jane Nelson-1964 & Swimsuit Prelim win, Sharon Birkenbuel in 1966, and Pat Brummett in 1969 & Talent Prelim win). Since then three other women have placed in the Top 10: Donna Reel in 1974, Valreie Faber in 1985, and Nicole Miner in 2009. In addition to those seven Top 10 placements, New Mexico has also won a Talent Prelim, a Swimsuit Prelim, two Non-Finalist Interview awards, two NFTs, and Miss Congeniality once.
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| Valerie Faber Miss New Mexico 1985 Top 10 Finalist |
# 35 - UTAH - 8(2)-W,2
Utah, the all-time leader on the Non-Finalist Talent award list with 19 NFTs, saw Carolyn Laseter break into the Top 5 in 1961 and place as 2nd Runner-up after winning a Talent Prelim award. SHARLENE WELLS brought the crown home to Utah when she won a Swimsuit Prelim award in 1984 and was then named MISS AMERICA 1985. Besides its six Top 10 placements (Janet Secor-1958; Marian Walker-1960 & Talent Prelim win; Frances Vernon-1965; Jonelle Smith-1981; Jaclyn Hunt-2001; and Katie Millar in 2007), Utah can boast three Top 15/16's, four more Swimsuit Prelim wins, four Talent Prelim wins, and a Miss Congeniality. In the pre-television days, Utah celebrated its first Miss America when COLLEEN HUTCHINS, Miss Utah 1951, won her Talent Prelim and was named MISS AMERICA 1952. During the 1930's and 40's, Utah had a 2nd Runner-up, a 4th Runner-up, and an additional semi-finalist.
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| Carolyn Laster Miss Utah 1961 2nd Runner-up & Talent Prelim winner |
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