This weekend kicks off the main Miss USA & Teen USA 2019 state pageant season... who else is excited! I've previously posted a rundown of the Texas contestants... and now the Illinois contestants have just been posted too! Check out the contestant photos here.
This year there are a smaller number of contestants in the Miss division - just 53 - and just over half of those have competed previously. Miss Illinois Teen USA 2012 Alex Plotz, who was a semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA and first competed in Miss last year making the top fifteen is having her second attempt at the Miss IL USA title. Returning from last year's top five are second runner-up Gina Melchiorri, a six-time previous runner-up in both Illinois & Iowa who is having her last shot at a title (go Gina!), third runner-up Michela Moe and fourth runner-up Missy Galvin. 2017 fourth runner-up Angel Reyes, who was a semi-finalist last year, is back, and 2015 & 2016 Mississippi third runner-up Chandler Short is returning to compete in Illinois where she was 2RU to Alex at Miss IL Teen USA 2012. Other past Teen runners-up are Taiylore Merriweather, 3RU in 2013 and Shenell Randall, 3RU in 2011. Shenell was a Miss semi-finalist in 2017 & 2018 and in Missouri in 2016. Other returning semi-finalists are Allison Seyes (2018), Ashley Kamins (2016), Shay Mayweather (2015). Savannah Preuss is the daughter of Andrea Ballengee Preuss who was Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 (semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA), briefly a Miss Virginia, and Mrs United States.
This year there are a smaller number of contestants in the Miss division - just 53 - and just over half of those have competed previously. Miss Illinois Teen USA 2012 Alex Plotz, who was a semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA and first competed in Miss last year making the top fifteen is having her second attempt at the Miss IL USA title. Returning from last year's top five are second runner-up Gina Melchiorri, a six-time previous runner-up in both Illinois & Iowa who is having her last shot at a title (go Gina!), third runner-up Michela Moe and fourth runner-up Missy Galvin. 2017 fourth runner-up Angel Reyes, who was a semi-finalist last year, is back, and 2015 & 2016 Mississippi third runner-up Chandler Short is returning to compete in Illinois where she was 2RU to Alex at Miss IL Teen USA 2012. Other past Teen runners-up are Taiylore Merriweather, 3RU in 2013 and Shenell Randall, 3RU in 2011. Shenell was a Miss semi-finalist in 2017 & 2018 and in Missouri in 2016. Other returning semi-finalists are Allison Seyes (2018), Ashley Kamins (2016), Shay Mayweather (2015). Savannah Preuss is the daughter of Andrea Ballengee Preuss who was Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 (semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA), briefly a Miss Virginia, and Mrs United States.
Contestants mentioned above & a few others that caught my eye: Alex Plotz, Gina Melchiorri, Michela Moe, Missy Galvin, Angel Reyes, Chandler Short, Taiylore Merriweather, Shenell Randall, Allison Seyes, Ashley Kamins, Shay Mayweather, Ava Mashouf, Tiffany Gabriel, Mia Lee, Savannah Preuss
In contrast, the vast majority of the Teen contestants are competing for the first time. There are two 2018 runners-up back, and three returning semi-finalists (all from different years!). 2018 first runner-up & 2016 fourth runner-up Serena Napolitano is one of the two returning from last year's top five; the other is third runner-up Samantha Elliott (also SF 2017). Other previous semi-finalists are A'Maiya Allen (2018), Zoe Brown (2017) and Sara Hampsten (2016).
Contestants mentioned above & a few others that caught my eye: Serena Napolitano, Samantha Elliott, A'Maiya Allen, Zoe Brown, Sara Hampsten, Simone Chadda, Sydney Bitar, Victoria Rhemrev, Chloe Karanovich, Bella Rose
 2018 Miss top five: Missy Galvin (4RU), Michaela Moe (3RU), Karolina Jasko (Miss IL USA), Marisa Bucheit (1RU), Gina Melchiorri (2RU). All but Marisa are returning. |  2018 Teen top five: Madeline Zamora (4RU), Samantha Elliott (3RU), Olivia Bohleber (Miss IL Teen USA 2017), Sydni Dion Bennett (Miss iL Teen USA 2018), Serena Napolitano (1RU), Abigail Battin (2RU). Samantha & Serena are returning. |
Click "read more" below right to view the full list of contestants with notes of past placements.
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