Five-time competitor Nadia Mejia is Miss California USA 2016 and four-time contestant Athenna Crosby is Miss California Teen USA 2016! A double "Cinderella story" outcome in CA on Sunday and a show i've always enjoyed watching by webcast - thank goodness for so many of those this year :)
Nadia started competing in the Teen pageant in 2012 where she placed top 20, followed by fourth runner-up in 2013 and top 20 again in 2014. Last year was her first Miss event, where again she made the top 20. She and Athenna competed together in the 2013 and 2014 Teen pageants, with Athenna finishing top 20 in 2013 and top 10 in 2014 (also in the 2014 Teen pageant was outgoing Miss CA Teen USA and Miss Teen USA 1RU Melanie Mitchell, and Miss Teen USA 2014 3RU Bianca Vierra). Athenna was third runner-up to Melanie last year.
Both Nadia & Athenna worked with Kristen Bradford of Crown Diva Boutique who is an absolute pageant magician - at various times she was also the local director for current Miss USA Olivia Jordan, Miss CA USA 2015 Natasha Martinez, Miss NV USA 2015 Brittany McGowan, Miss FL USA 2016 Brie Gabrielle and Miss CA USA 2014 Cassandra Kunze. Olivia, and Brittany were her Beverly Hills & Malibu titleholders at the same time Nadia was Miss Beverley Hills Teen USA.
Nadia started competing in the Teen pageant in 2012 where she placed top 20, followed by fourth runner-up in 2013 and top 20 again in 2014. Last year was her first Miss event, where again she made the top 20. She and Athenna competed together in the 2013 and 2014 Teen pageants, with Athenna finishing top 20 in 2013 and top 10 in 2014 (also in the 2014 Teen pageant was outgoing Miss CA Teen USA and Miss Teen USA 1RU Melanie Mitchell, and Miss Teen USA 2014 3RU Bianca Vierra). Athenna was third runner-up to Melanie last year.
Both Nadia & Athenna worked with Kristen Bradford of Crown Diva Boutique who is an absolute pageant magician - at various times she was also the local director for current Miss USA Olivia Jordan, Miss CA USA 2015 Natasha Martinez, Miss NV USA 2015 Brittany McGowan, Miss FL USA 2016 Brie Gabrielle and Miss CA USA 2014 Cassandra Kunze. Olivia, and Brittany were her Beverly Hills & Malibu titleholders at the same time Nadia was Miss Beverley Hills Teen USA.
 |  Photos: Glenn Francis/Pacific Pro Digital |  |
In the Miss division, first runner-up went to first-time contestant and Photogenic winner Catherine Watters - the Photogenic winners placed 1RU in both categories! Second runner-up was Lauren Smolka, who made the top five for the first time after two years as a top 20 semi-finalist. Also making the top five for the first time after multiple years as a semi-finalist was former Ohio contestant Alexia Castillo, who placed third runner-up. Newcomer Carolina Urrea was fourth runner-up.
Unlike recent years there wasn't a cut from top 20 to top 10 this year, and to be honest I think the competition suffered a bit as a result as the semi-finalist competition tended to drag a little, particularly in evening gown with its slower pace. Also, as someone pointed out, it must be tough not knowing if you finished 6th or 20th! Miss semi-finalists included Miss US International 2014 Samantha Brooks, 2014 fourth runner-up Lauren York, past semi-finalists Carly Diamond Stone, Brooklyn Bizzle and Taelyr Robinson and a whole host of non-finalists who made the step up this year.
Spare a thought for Teen first runner-up Gigi Gauthier who finished 1RU for the third year in a row. In fact, this wasn't a great night for the two returning 2-times 1RUs in Teen, as Utah contestant Dasha Semina placed fourth runner-up (question, after two years as a first runner-up what do you think would be more painful, finishing as 1RU again or finishing in a lower spot? leave a comment!). The other three runners-up were all past semi-finalists: second runner-up Jessica Duhay and fourth runner-up Jocelyn McCoy both made top 20 last year, while third runner-up Kaylee Fuller was top 20 in 2013 and top 10 in 2012, but had not competed the past two years. Six more of last year's semi-finalists made the top 20 again this year.
Unlike recent years there wasn't a cut from top 20 to top 10 this year, and to be honest I think the competition suffered a bit as a result as the semi-finalist competition tended to drag a little, particularly in evening gown with its slower pace. Also, as someone pointed out, it must be tough not knowing if you finished 6th or 20th! Miss semi-finalists included Miss US International 2014 Samantha Brooks, 2014 fourth runner-up Lauren York, past semi-finalists Carly Diamond Stone, Brooklyn Bizzle and Taelyr Robinson and a whole host of non-finalists who made the step up this year.
Spare a thought for Teen first runner-up Gigi Gauthier who finished 1RU for the third year in a row. In fact, this wasn't a great night for the two returning 2-times 1RUs in Teen, as Utah contestant Dasha Semina placed fourth runner-up (question, after two years as a first runner-up what do you think would be more painful, finishing as 1RU again or finishing in a lower spot? leave a comment!). The other three runners-up were all past semi-finalists: second runner-up Jessica Duhay and fourth runner-up Jocelyn McCoy both made top 20 last year, while third runner-up Kaylee Fuller was top 20 in 2013 and top 10 in 2012, but had not competed the past two years. Six more of last year's semi-finalists made the top 20 again this year.
Full results
Miss California USA 2016: Nadia Mejia (T20 15, T20 CA TUSA 14, 4RU 13, T20 12)
1RU: Catherine Watters
2RU: Lauren Smolka (T20 15, T20 14)
3RU: Alexia Castillo (SF OH USA 13, SF OH TUSA 12, SF OH TUSA 10, SF OH TUSA 09)
4RU: Carolina Urrea
Semi-finalists:
Brooklyn Bizzle (T20 14)
Samantha Brooks (Miss US International 14, NF 14, T10 13, NF 12)
Alexis Brown
Brittney Hill (NF 14)
Camille Hunziker
Thalia Lara
Dominique Jones (NF 14, NF CA TUSA 12)
Brooke Miller
Alexa Noone (NF 15, T20 CA TUSA 13, NF 12)
Ashley Reinke (NF 15)
Taelyr Robinson (T20 12)
Carly Diamond Stone (T20 15, NF 14, NF MI USA 12)
Courtney Tezeno (NF TX USA 14)
Katie Wayland
Lauren York (T20 15, 4RU 14, T10 CA TUSA 12)
Congeniality: Natalie Duvalsaint
Photogenic: Catherine Watters
1RU: Catherine Watters
2RU: Lauren Smolka (T20 15, T20 14)
3RU: Alexia Castillo (SF OH USA 13, SF OH TUSA 12, SF OH TUSA 10, SF OH TUSA 09)
4RU: Carolina Urrea
Semi-finalists:
Brooklyn Bizzle (T20 14)
Samantha Brooks (Miss US International 14, NF 14, T10 13, NF 12)
Alexis Brown
Brittney Hill (NF 14)
Camille Hunziker
Thalia Lara
Dominique Jones (NF 14, NF CA TUSA 12)
Brooke Miller
Alexa Noone (NF 15, T20 CA TUSA 13, NF 12)
Ashley Reinke (NF 15)
Taelyr Robinson (T20 12)
Carly Diamond Stone (T20 15, NF 14, NF MI USA 12)
Courtney Tezeno (NF TX USA 14)
Katie Wayland
Lauren York (T20 15, 4RU 14, T10 CA TUSA 12)
Congeniality: Natalie Duvalsaint
Photogenic: Catherine Watters
Nadia Mejia, Catherine Watters, Lauren Smolka, Alexia Castillo, Carolina Urrea
Miss California Teen USA 2016: Athenna Crosby (3RU 15, T10 14, T20 13)
1RU: Gigi Gauthier (1RU 15, 1RU 14)
2RU: Jessica Duhay (T20 15)
3RU: Kaylee Fuller (T20 13, T10 12)
4RU: Jocelyn McCoy (T20 15, NF 14)
Semi-finalists:
Giselle Cabebe (NF 15)
Janella Garcia
Erin Graham (T20 15)
Haleigh Hekking (T20 15)
Kelly Hughes (T10 15)
Lauren Dorn
Riley Hunsucker
Brooklyn Lowery (NF 15)
Bethany Murray
Kaitlyn Nolan (T20 15, NF 13)
Sarah Rafeh (T20 15)
Arlene Serna
Juliet Weaver (T10 15)
Montana Yao
Congeniality: Athenna Crosby
Photogenic: Gigi Gauthier
1RU: Gigi Gauthier (1RU 15, 1RU 14)
2RU: Jessica Duhay (T20 15)
3RU: Kaylee Fuller (T20 13, T10 12)
4RU: Jocelyn McCoy (T20 15, NF 14)
Semi-finalists:
Giselle Cabebe (NF 15)
Janella Garcia
Erin Graham (T20 15)
Haleigh Hekking (T20 15)
Kelly Hughes (T10 15)
Lauren Dorn
Riley Hunsucker
Brooklyn Lowery (NF 15)
Bethany Murray
Kaitlyn Nolan (T20 15, NF 13)
Sarah Rafeh (T20 15)
Arlene Serna
Juliet Weaver (T10 15)
Montana Yao
Congeniality: Athenna Crosby
Photogenic: Gigi Gauthier
Athenna Crosby, Gigi Gauthier, Jessica Duhay, Kaylee Fuller, Jocelyn McCoy
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