Miss North Carolina USA & Teen USA 2017 contestant rundown!

Miss North Carolina USA & Teen USA 2017 prelims will be held on Friday the 30th and finals on the 1st of October.  Devin Gant, who so impressively took over & competed at Miss USA with six hours notice, will have her moment to be celebrated as Miss NC USA and NC will welcome home their Miss Teen USA first runner-up Emily Wakeman.

Contestant numbers are similar to last year, however there's been a 20% decrease on the average of the past three years.  In true NC fashion most of the contestants have competed previously.  I wish more states posted the age of their contestants because I would love to be able to track who has taken advantage of the last-minute opportunity for one final shot at the crown.

There are two returning Teen titleholders, Katie Coble (2007) will be hoping to break her 3RU curse in her fourth attempt at the title (4RU her first year in Alabama, then three years as 3RU in North Carolina), and Kelsey Barberio (2013) will be competing for the first time.  Kayla Hollingsworth was Miss NC's Outstanding Teen 2010.  The only other 2016 runner-up is Kensley Leonard, who was fourth runner-up.  2015 fourth runner-up Morgan Evans and 2015 SC first runner-up Megan Hucks are competing again.  Lindsey Baker and Victoria Vesce, past Teen runners-up who have both competed in Miss a number of times, are competing again this year.  Juliette Gabriel, a three-time Teen runner-up in New Jersey, and semi-finalist in Miss NJ USA last year, is competing in North Carolina for the first time.  I am quite disappointed that another Jersey girl, Miss NJ USA 2013 Christina Thompson, top 10 in NC last year, isn't back... and also that the rumours of the return of Miss NC Teen USA 2012 Kat Puryear didn't prove true.  Please come back next year Christina & Kat!

Returning top ten finalists from 2016 are Lindsey Baker and Erika Turner.  Jessica Lucas and Brittany Pierce are the only returning top 15 semi-finalists.  Victoria Vesce and Mary Helen Moore were top 10 in 2015,   Jessica, Brittany and Erika also placed top 15 in 2015.  Jessica Halso, a four-time Miss & Teen semi-finalist, is competing for the first time since 2013.  She was top 10 that year & in 2012.  

Fun fact: there are five Miss NC Teen USA 2012 contestants this year, four of whom made the top 15.

Contestants mentioned above & a few others that caught my eye:

Row 1: Katie Coble, Kelsey Barberio, Kensley Leonard, Morgan Evans, Megan Hucks, Lindsey Baker | Row 2: Victoria Vesce, Juliette Gabriel, Erika Turner, Jessica Lucas, Brittany Pierce, Mary Helen Moore | Row 3: Jessica Halso, Brittney Hill, Jasmine Norwood, Kayla Hollingsworth, Torah Speach, Paxton Webster

​In Teen, two of last year's semi-finalists, second runner-up Kaaviya Sambasivam and third runner-up Julianna Morehouse (daughter of Miss NC USA 1994 Lynn Morehouse) are back - 1RU Kaitryana Leinbach is the new Miss US International and will represent the USA at Miss International later in the year.  2014 fourth runner-up Emily Miner, who made the top 15 last year, is also competing.  Returning top 10 semi-finalists from last year are Anna Miller, Jena-Deme Revels, Alexandria Murphy.   Others from the 15 are Austin Baxley and Haleigh Baker.   

Row 1: Kaaviya Sambasivam, Julianna Morehouse, Emily Miner, Anna Miller, Jena-Deme Revels, Alexandria Murphy | Row 2: Austin Baxley, Haleigh Baker, Ciena Fedor, Reagan Wayne, McKenzie Hansley, Trinity Evans

Click "read more" or scroll down to view the full list of contestants.

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​Contestant lists

MISS CONTESTANTS (38)
Kelsey Barberio • Apex (Miss NC Teen USA 13, T10 12)
Lindsey Baker • Ballantyne (T10 16, T15 14, T10 14, 1RU NC TUSA 12, 2RU 11, T15 10)
Victoria Vesce • Charlotte (T10 15, NF 13, 3RU NC TUSA 12, T15 11)
Kayla Hollingsworth • Coastal Carolina (​NC's OT 10)
Morgan Evans • Cornelius (4RU 15, T10 13) 
Elizabeth Lyssikatos • Davidson
Mary Helen Moore • Durham (T10 15)
Crystal Byrd • Fayetteville (NF NC TUSA 12)
Lauren Walsh • Garner
Charday Williams • Goldsboro (NF 15)
Emily Shillinglaw • Greensboro
Megan Hucks • Greenville (1RU SC USA 15, T10 SC USA 12, T10 SC USA 11)
Elizabeth Longo • Hickory (NF 15)
Ashley-Brooke Daniels • High Point University
Juliette Gabriel • High Point (SF NJ USA 16, 2RU NJ TUSA 13, 1RU 12, 2RU 11)
Danica Thomas • Jamestown
Jasmine Norwood • Knightdale
Ciera McCoy • Matthews (NF 15, NF 11)
Kheiston Tilford • Mecklenburg County
Catherine Brake • Mocksville
Tommi Boltinghouse • New Hanover (NF 14)
Erika Turner • Oak Ridge  (T10 16, T15 15, T10 14, T15 13, T10 NC TUSA 09)
Brittney Hill • Piedmont Triad (SF CA USA 16, NF 14)
Torah Speach • Queen City
Ciera Franklin • Raleigh-Durham 
Jessica Lucas • Raleigh  (T15 16, T15 15, NF 14, T10 NC TUSA 13, T15 12, NF 11)
Breanna Ashley • Randolph County
Angelika Orlowski • Sanford
Tiana Littlejohn • Shelby
Anna Scott Marsh • Smithfield
Cheslie Kryst • South Charlotte
Paxton Webster • Topsail Island
Brittany Pierce • Trinity (T15 16, T15 15)
Kensley Leonard • Wake County (4RU 16)
Katie Coble • Weddington (3RU 16, 3RU 14, 3RU 13, 4RU AL USA 12, Miss NC Teen USA 07, 4RU 06)
Jessica Halso • Wilmington (T10 13, T10 12, T15 11, T15 NC TUSA 08)
Katelyn Butner • Winston-Salem
Tiffany Knox • Wrightsville Beach

TEEN CONTESTANTS (33)
Stephanie Garcia • Cabbarus County
Emily Miner • Concord (T15 16, 4RU 14)
Jacklyn Matthews • Cumberland County
Harley Evans • Eastern Carolina
Juliana Morehouse • Fayetteville (3RU 16)
Anna Miller • Goldsboro (T10 16)
Trinity Evans • Greensboro
Jasmine Herndon • Guilford County
Elizabeth O'Brien • High Point University
Maria Versace • Huntersville (NF 16)
Gabriela Pena • Iredell County (NF 16)
BreAnn York • Jacksonville
Tiffany Robertson • Johnston County
Kerstyn Weatherman • Kannapolis
Jordin Donahue • Lake Norman
Martina Siemon • Mecklenburg County
Jenny O'Neal • Mooresville
Alyssa Andelin • Nash County
Austin Baxley • New Bern (T15 & Photogenic 16)
Grayson Dodd Burnett • Ocean Isle
Rachel Immordino • Orange County
Ciena Fedor • Pembroke
Meri-Morgan Lochner • Pine Forest
Margaux Steadman • Raleigh
Haleigh Baker • Raleigh-Durham (T15 16)
Jena-Deme Revels • Robeson County (T10 16)
Alexandria Murphy • Tar Heel (T10 16)
McKenzie Hansley • Topsail Island
Reagan Wayne • Uptown
MacKenzie Lyons • Wake County
Jasmine Harvey • Wake Forest
Anna Parsons • Wakefield
Kaaviya Sambasivam • Winston-Salem (2RU 16)