Miss Virginia

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Virginia USA. For the American drama film, see Miss Virginia (film).

The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s. Four Miss Virginia winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America, including former national titleholder Caressa Cameron.^[1]

Miss Virginia

Formation	1923
Type	Beauty pageant
Headquarters	Roanoke
Location	Virginia
Membership	Miss America
Official language	English
Key people	Elaine Aikens, Mark Schreier, Nancy Lucy (Executive Director)
Website	Official website

To compete in the Miss Virginia pageant, a contestant must first win one of many local competitions. Contestants may compete at the local and state level more than once, but having won a state title may only compete in the national Miss America competition one time. The state pageant is held in Roanoke, Virginia at the Roanoke Civic Center in June or July.^[2][3]

During her reign, Miss Virginia travels over 40,000 miles across the state making appearances to further her social impact initiative, visit schools, and for the Miss America Organization's national Children's Miracle Network campaign.^[3]

Dorcas Campbell from Farfield was Miss Virginia of 1963, won many singing contests, and was a very talented opera singer. Kristi Lauren Glakas, Miss Virginia 2005, is one of only seven women who have competed in the Miss America, Miss Teen USA, and Miss USA competitions. She was Miss Virginia Teen USA 1999 and Miss Virginia USA 2004, placing in the top ten at Miss Teen USA 1999 and was a non-finalist at Miss USA 2004.^[4] Two other Miss Virginia titleholders later competed in the Miss USA pageant: Jennifer Pitts was Miss Virginia USA 2005 and Shannon DePuy was Miss Florida USA 1995.^[4][5]

Madison Whitbeck of Arlington was crowned Miss Virginia 2025 on June 28, 2025, at the Berglund Center Auditorium in Roanoke, Virginia. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2026 in Orlando, Florida September 2-7 2025.

Gallery of past titleholders

• 
  Hannah Kiefer,
  Miss Virginia 2007
• 
  Tara Wheeler,
  Miss Virginia 2008
• 
  Caressa Cameron,
  Miss Virginia 2009 and Miss America 2010
• 
  Chinah Helmandollar,
  Miss Virginia 2009
• 
  Desiree Williams,
  Miss Virginia 2013 (when she was Miss Virginia USA 2016)

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Virginia titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

• Miss Americas: Kylene Barker (1979), Nicole Johnson (1999), Caressa Cameron (2010), Camille Schrier (2020)
• 1st runners-up: Julianne Smith (1987), Cullen Johnson (1995), Courtney Garrett (2015)
• 2nd runners-up: Anne Lee Ceglis (1954)
• 3rd runners-up: Evangeline Glidewell (1933), Kristi Lauren Glakas (2006), Hannah Kiefer (2008)
• 4th runners-up: Rose Marie Elliott (1939), Nancy Glisson (1994)
• Top 10: Dorcas Campbell (1964), Cherie Davis (1969), Pamela Polk (1977), Heidi Lammi (1988), Shannon DePuy (1991), Nancy Redd (2004), Caitlin Uze (2011), Cecili Weber (2018)
• Top 15: Eleanor V. Reid (1926), Dolores Taylor (1936), Jacquelyn McWin (1941), Elizabeth Crot (2012), Savannah Lane (2016)
• Top 16: Frances L. Sultan (1937)

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Linda Moyer (1972), Julianne Smith (1987), Cullen Johnson (1995), Nancy Redd (2004), Kristi Lauren Glakas (2006)
• Preliminary On Stage Interview: Emili McPhail (2019)
• Preliminary Talent: Anne Lee Ceglis (1954), Dorcas Campbell (1964), Cherie Davis (1969), Pamela Polk (1977), Crystal Lewis (2000), Caressa Cameron (2010), Camille Schrier (2020)

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Talent: Rebecca Richardson (1957), Alice Sue Williams (1960), Patricia Gaulding (1963), Carolyn Eddy (1965), Sydney Lewis (1970), Terri Bartlett (1978), Susan Parker (1984), Tami Elliott (1990), Sheri Huffman (1991), Lora Flattum (1992), Michelle Kang (1997), Kelli Quick (1998), Crystal Lewis (2000)

Other awards

• Miss Congeniality: Linda Maclin (1967)
• Charles and Theresa Brown Scholarship: Hannah Kiefer (2008), Courtney Garrett (2015)
• Children's Champion Award: Nancy Redd (2004), Mariah Rice (2005)
• Quality of Life Award Finalists: Adrianna Sgarlata (2007), Tara Wheeler (2008), Caitlin Uze (2011), Courtney Garrett (2015)
• Waterford Crystal Business Scholarship: Cullen Johnson (1995)
• Women in STEM Winners: Victoria Chuah (2023)

Winners

•   Declared as winner
•   Ended as a runner-up
•   Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2025	Madison Whitbeck	Arlington	20	Miss Arlington	Vocal
2024	Carlehr Swanson	Charlottesville	25	Miss Blue Ridge	Singing and Piano
2023	Katie Rose[6]	Martinsburg	27	Miss Loudoun County	Ballet en Pointe
2022	Victoria Chuah	Ashburn	23	Miss Arlington	Ballet en Pointe		Women in STEM Winner	Later was named Miss Vermont USA in 2025. Was top 10 at Miss USA 2025
2021	Tatum Sheppard[7]	Milan, TN	22	Miss Central Virginia	Vocal			Daughter of Kellye Cash, Miss America 1987[7] Eligible as a student and recent graduate of Liberty University[7]
2019–20[a]	Dot Kelly	Hampton	22	Miss Lynchburg	Tap Dance	Did not compete; originally 1st runner-up, later assumed the title after Schrier won Miss America 2020[9]		Featured as Macy's Starlet at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019[citation needed]
	Camille Schrier[9]	Newtown, PA	24	Miss Dominion	Chemistry Demonstration	Winner[10]	Preliminary Talent Award	Student at VCU School of Pharmacy at time of crowning[11]
2018	Emili McPhail[12]	Roseboro, NC	22	Miss Arlington	Piano, "The Phantom of the Opera"		Preliminary On Stage Interview Award[13]	Previously Miss North Carolina's Outstanding Teen 2013[14] Top 8 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2014 pageant[15] Eligible as student at Hollins University[12]
2017	Cecili Weber[16][17]	Roanoke	22	Miss Arlington	Contemporary Jazz Dance, "Last Dance"	Top 10[18]		Previously Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2010[19] Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2011 pageant[20] Contestant at National Sweetheart 2013, as Miss Ohio[citation needed]
2016	Michaela Sigmon[21]	Chesapeake	21	Miss Greater Richmond	Tap Dance, "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez
2015	Savannah Lane[22]	Midlothian	19	Miss Piedmont Region	Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl	Top 15
2014	Courtney Garrett	Pamplin	21	Miss State Fair of Virginia	Classical Vocal, "Parla più piano"	1st runner-up	Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship[23] Quality of Life Award Finalist	Previously Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2009[24] Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2010 pageant[25]
2013	Desiree Williams	Newport News	24	Miss Arlington	Piano, "Cubana Cubana" by Maksim Mrvica			Previously National Sweetheart 2012 Later Miss Virginia USA 2016 Top 10 at Miss USA 2016 pageant
2012	Rosemary Willis	Chesapeake	21	Miss Roanoke Valley	Vocal, "I (Who Have Nothing)"
2011	Elizabeth Crot[26][27]	Chesapeake	23	Miss Arlington	Classical Vocal, "Sempre Libera" from La traviata	Top 15
2010	Caitlin Uze	Arlington	22	Miss Greater Richmond	Irish Treble Reel Dance, "Riverdance"	Top 10	Marion A. Crooker Award Quality of Life Award Finalist
2009	Chinah Helmandollar[28]	Hardy		Miss Smith Mountain Lake		Did not compete; originally placed as a Top 10 semifinalist, later assumed the title after Cameron won Miss America 2010[citation needed]
	Caressa Cameron	Fredericksburg	21	Miss Arlington	Vocal, "Listen"	Winner[1]	Preliminary Talent Award	4th runner-up at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant[citation needed]
2008	Tara Wheeler[29]	Woodbridge	24	Miss Arlington	Vocal, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
2007	Hannah Kiefer[30]	High Point,NC	21	Miss Mountain Empire	Classical Ballet en Pointe, "The Chocolate Dance" from The Nutcracker	3rd runner-up	Charles and Theresa Brown Scholarship	Eligible as a student at Hollins University[citation needed]
2006	Adrianna Sgarlata	Fairfax Station	24	Miss Arlington	Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno di Doretta" from La rondine		Quality of Life Award Finalist
2005	Kristi Lauren Glakas[31]	Centreville	24	Miss Apple Blossom Festival	Vocal, "In His Eyes" from Jekyll & Hyde	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award[32]	Triple Crown winner: Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1999; Top 10 at Miss Teen USA 1999 pageant Previously Miss Virginia USA 2004
2004	Mariah Rice[33]	Mechanicsville	24	Miss Greater Richmond	Lyrical Dance, "I Am Changing"		Children's Champion Award
2003	Nancy Redd	Martinsville	22	Miss Martinsville-Henry County	Piano, "Malagueña"	Top 10	Children's Champion Award Preliminary Swimsuit Award
2002	Jennifer Pitts	Arlington	24	Miss Apple Blossom Festival	Contemporary Ballet en Pointe, "Standing in Motion" by Yanni			Contestant at National Sweetheart 2001 pageant[citation needed] Later Miss Virginia USA 2005[citation needed]
2001	Meghan Shanley	Virginia Beach	21	Miss Hampton Holly Days Festival	Vocal, "Big Time"
2000	Jacqueline Cook[34]	Colonial Heights	24	Miss Hampton/Newport News	Jazz en Pointe, "Jump, Shout, Boogie"
1999	Crystal Lewis	Newport News	21	Miss Lynchburg Festival	Vocal, "I Believe in You and Me"		Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award
1998	Thomanita (Nita) Leona Booth[35]	Tidewater	19	Miss Tidewater	Vocal	Did not compete; later assumed the title after Johnson won Miss America 1999 [citation needed]
								First African American titleholder
	Nicole Johnson[36]	Virginia Beach	24	Miss Lynchburg Festival	Vocal, "That's Life"	Winner
1997	Kelli Quick	Lynchburg	20	Miss Lynchburg Festival	Vocal, "I Go To the Rock" from The Preacher's Wife		Non-finalist Talent Award
1996	Michelle Kang[37]	Fredericksburg	22	Miss Apple Blossom Festival	Classical Piano, "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2"		Non-finalist Talent Award	First Asian-American titleholder[38]
1995	Amber Medlin	Virginia Beach	23	Miss Virginia Beach	Classical Piano, "Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53"			Assumed Ballengee's title[39]
	Andrea Ballengee	Yorktown		Miss Hampton/Newport News	Dance	Unable to compete; initially allowed to keep her title after it was discovered she had embellished her academic record but was stripped of crown later the same month after further discrepancies were revealed[40][41]
								Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992[citation needed] Top 12 at Miss Teen USA 1992 pageant[citation needed] Later Mrs. California and Mrs. America 2006 under married name Andrea Preuss Top 10 at Mrs. World 2006 pageant
1994	Cullen Johnson[42]	Norfolk	23	Miss Central Shenandoah Valley	Classical Piano, Sonata Pathetique	1st runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award Waterford Crystal Business Scholarship
1993	Nancy Glisson	Williamsburg	22	Miss Lynchburg Festival	Popular Vocal, "I Will Always Love You"	4th runner-up
1992	Lora Flattum	Isle of Wight	24	Miss Apple Blossom Festival	Classical Piano, "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C Minor"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1991	Sheri Huffman	Lynchburg	23	Miss Amherst County	Vocal, "If I Can Dream"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1990	Shannon DePuy	Lynchburg	19	Miss Amherst County	Classical Piano, "Revolutionary Etude"	Top 10		Later Miss Florida USA 1995[citation needed] & top 6 at Miss USA 1995[citation needed]
1989	Tami Elliott[43]	Newport News	24	Miss Portsmouth-Seawall Festival	Gymnastics Dance Routine, "The Phantom of the Opera"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1988	April Fleming		23	Miss Richmond	Vocal, "New York State of Mind"
1987	Heidi Lammi	Alexandria	26	Miss Northern Virginia	Ballet en Pointe, Grande Tarantelle	Top 10
1986	Julianne Smith	Yorktown	21	Miss Williamsburg	Vocal, "Golden Rainbow"	1st runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1985	Kimberly Johnson	Coeburn	19	Miss Lonesome Pine	Vocal & Piano, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
1984	Susan Carter Parker	Covington	23	Miss Alleghany Highlands	Classical Vocal, "My Man's Gone Now"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1983	Lisa Aliff	Roanoke	23	Miss Vinton Dogwood Festival	Vocal & Dance, "Manhattan" & "Broadway Rhythm"
1982	Beverly Cooke[44]	Richmond	24	Miss Portsmouth-Seawall Festival	Vocal Medley, "Smile" & "Happy Days Are Here Again"			Mother of Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2006, Brittany Young[45]
1981	Vicky Pulliam	Martinsville	21	Miss Martinsville/Henry County	Semi-classical Vocal, "Art Is Calling For Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert
1980	Holly Jereme	Roanoke	23	Miss Roanoke Valley	Vocal & Dance, "City Lights"
1979	Darlene McIntosh	Chesapeake	22	Miss Chesapeake	Classical Piano, "Prelude in C sharp minor"
1978	Paige Brown	Alexandria		Miss Fairfax County		Did not compete; later assumed title after Barker won Miss America 1979 [citation needed]
	Kylene Barker	Galax	22	Miss Pulaski County	Gymnastics Routine, "Gonna Fly Now" & "Feelin So Good"	Winner
1977	Terri Bartlett	Newport News	24	Miss Norfolk	Classical Piano, "Rhapsody in C Minor"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1976	Pamela Polk	Richmond	22	Miss Peanut Festival	Classical Vocal, "Mi Chiamano Mimi" from La bohème	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award
1975	Joan Grady	Virginia Beach	21	Miss Virginia Beach	Classical Vocal, "Vissi d'arte"
1974	Stephanie Dowdy		18		Vocal, "I've Gotta Be Me"
1973	Elinda Gail Vandeventer	Pulaski	20	Miss Pulaski	Classical Vocal, "The Telephone Aria"
1972	Dona Marie Pillow	Lynchburg	22	Miss Lynchburg	Vocal, "Memories"			Cousin of country singer, Ray Pillow[citation needed]
1971	Linda Moyer	Norfolk	20	Miss Norfolk	Vocal & Dance		Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1970	Jeannette Smith	Roanoke	19	Miss Roanoke Valley	Classical Piano, "Toccata" by Aram Khachaturian
1969	Sydney Lewis	Hampton	19	Miss Hampton/Newport News	Original Monologue, "Prisoner at the Bar"
1968	Cherie Davis	Clifton Forge	20	Miss Alleghany Highlands	Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix"	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award
1967	Barbara Yost	Roanoke	19	Miss Roanoke Valley	Piano, "Grande valse brillante in E flat major"
1966	Linda Maclin		18		Modern Jazz Dance		Miss Congeniality
1965	Jean Inge	Norfolk	22	Miss Norfolk	Speech about Politics & Government entitled Democracy
1964	Carolyn Eddy		21		Dramatic Reading		Non-finalist Talent Award
1963	Dorcas Campbell	Fairfield		Miss Rockbridge County	Vocal Medley, "Près des remparts de Séville" from Carmen & Songs from West Side Story	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award
1962	Patricia Gaulding	Richmond	19	Miss Richmond	Caricature Sketching & Original Comedy Monologue		Non-finalist Talent Award
1961	Charlotte Thomas	Roanoke	19	Miss Lynchburg	Piano, "Malagueña"
1960	Catherine Birch	Staunton	19	Miss Bristol	Classical Ballet			Married magician, John A. Daniel[citation needed]
1959	Alice Sue Williams	Richmond	19	Miss Williamsburg	Dramatization of Designing & Sewing Fashions		Non-finalist Talent Award
1958	Barbara Guthrie	Martinsville		Miss Martinsville	Drama
1957	Rebecca Lee Edmunds	Roanoke		Miss Roanoke Valley	Dance
1956	Rebecca Richardson	Martinsville		Miss Martinsville	Art Display & Piano		Non-finalist Talent Award
1955	Betty Sue Mathews	Norfolk		Miss Virginia Beach	Vocal, "There's No Business Like Show Business"
1954	Julie Ann Bruening	Swoope		Miss Staunton-Augusta County	Charcoal Sketch of The Statue of Liberty
1953	Anne Lee Ceglis	Norfolk			Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly	2nd runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award
1952	Edna Long	Richmond			Dance
1951	Shirley Bryant	Norfolk			Vocal
1950	Gloria Fenderson	Petersburg
1949	Betty Lewis	Norfolk			Vocal
1948	Bobby Joe Wilson	Hillsville
1947	Ruth Ellen Mears	Cape Charles			Speech
1946	Bette Cannon	Alexandria			Monologue, "The Waltz" by Dorothy Parker
1945	No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[46][47]
1944
1943	Dorothy Taylor	Richmond		Miss Richmond				Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1942	Charlotte Mae Smith	Fredericksburg
1941	Jacquelyn McWin	Waynesboro				Top 15
1940	Virginia Campbell	Charlottesville
1939	Rose Marie Elliott[48]	Suffolk[48]			Vocal, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"	4th runner-up[48]
1938	Kathleen Mann	North Arlington
1937	Frances Lee Sultan	Kecoughtan				Top 16
1936	Dolores Taylor	Ocean View		Miss Virginia		Top 15		Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Mary Virginia Ash	Phoebus		Miss Virginia Peninsula
1935	No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[49]
1934	No national pageant was held[50]
1933	Evangeline Glidewell[51]	Danville	17	Miss Danville	N/A[52]	3rd runner-up
1932	No national pageants were held[50]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927	No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[53]
1926	Eleanor V. Reid			Miss Norfolk	N/A[52]	Top 15		Competed under local title at national pageant
1925	Dorothea Prince			Miss Norfolk				Competed under local title at national pageant
1924	No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[54]
1923	Billie Gates[55]	Richmond		Miss Richmond	N/A[52]			Competed under local title at national pageant
1922	No Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[56][57]
1921

Notes

1. Appointed titleholder had to reign for a full year in 2020 after state and national pageants postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic^[8]