Miss Arizona USA & Teen USA 2016 will be crowned in Mesa on Sunday afternoon. AZ has had an amazing couple of years with their 2014 and 2015 titleholders placing at both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. It's going to be a hard job replacing Maureen and Neda. Miss contestant numbers are down 40% on the past few years and are at their second lowest in the past ten years, while Teen numbers are closer to what they've been getting recently but quite a bit lower on 2007-08.
Two of last year's top five are returning - and a third, 2015 1RU Emmy Adams is competing in NV this weekend as well. The returnees are 2RU Lexe Richardson (also 1RU at Miss AZ Teen USA 2013) and fourth runner-up Nicole Smith, who has now been a runner-up four times. I was quite disappointed not to see last year's third runner-up Abby Hornacek back as well. From the 2014 top five there are three competing: 2014 first runner-up and former Miss California Teen USA Alexa Jones (top 20 last year), second runner-up Brittany Mazur, a past Miss AZ's Outstanding Teen (top 10 last year), and Nicole Smith. The other runner-up from that year, Victoria Mendoza, will be representing the USA at Miss World later this year. Miss Arizona 2010 Katy Bulkley, a Teen runner-up in 2008 and Miss semi-finalist in 2014 is also back; this will be her second to last shot at the title.
As well as Alexa, those with experience in other states are Lauren Medwed, Iowa first runner-up in 2011, who will be competing in AZ for the second time, Shanna Akins, Teen non-finalist in Colorado in 2011, and Tommy Lynn Calhoun from California, who would be the seventh Miss CA USA 2013 contestant to compete at Miss USA were she to win.
The Teen division is largely a group of new contestants. The only returning runner-up is 2015 4RU Ally Trevino and there are two returning semi-finalists: Darby Deak and Kenzie Murphy. Maia Allo, a non-finalist last year, will be one of two 2014 Vermont Teen contestants competing in other states this weekend.
* indicates contestant is competing in AZ in 2016:
Miss Arizona USA & Teen USA Titleholder History | Arizona state pageant results
Click "read more" or scroll below for the full list of contestants.
Contestants
Shereen Kak • Cactus Blossom
Paige Pacheco • Camelback
Isabel Ticlo • Chandler
Shanna Akins • East Mesa (NF 14, NF CO TUSA 11)
Lexe Richardson • Fountain Hills (2RU 16, 1RU AZ TUSA 13)
Leila Kraja • Four Peaks
Lauren Medwed • Glendale (SF 14, SF IA USA 12, 1RU IA USA 11, SF IL USA 09)
Cassidy Maturan • Goodyear
Brittany Mazur • Grand Canyon (T10 15, 2RU 14, AZ's OT 06)
Samantha Micheli • Greater Phoenix
Tiphani Morgan • Happy Valley
Taylor Rosenow • Maricopa County (SF AZ TUSA 14)
Jessica Van Gaalen • Mesa
Chelsea Myers • North Phoenix
Elisabeth Bradley • North Scottsdale
Dylan Hendricks • Paradise Valley (T10 15, SF 14)
Tatum Carlson • Peoria
Nicole Smith • Phoenix (4RU 15, 3RU 14, 2RU 13, 2RU AZ TUSA 12)
Kathryn Bulkley • Red Mountain (SF 14, Miss AZ 2010, 4RU AZ TUSA 08, SF 07)
Cassie Wilkinson • Saguaro Blossom
Bella Hibbs • Scottsdale
Alexa Jones • Southern Arizona (T20 15, 1RU 14, Miss CA Teen USA 2012)
Kelly Fulcher • Stone Creek
Kyla Noble • Tempe
Tommy Lynn Calhoun • Tucson (T20 CA USA 14, T20 CA USA 13)
Kayleen Workman • Turquoise (NF 15)
Johanna Trevizo • Valley of the Sun
MISS ARIZONA TEEN USA (21)
Ally Trevino • Ahwatukee (4RU 15)
Morgan Zittel • Ahwatukee-Foothills
Darby House • Arcadia
Greer Cowan • Cave Creek
Emory Tamplin • Chandler (NF IL TUSA 14)
Darby Deak • DC Ranch (SF 15)
Ellie Schlueter • Desert Foothills
Maia Allo • Desert Mountain (NF 15, SF VT TUSA 14)
Amber Barto • Equestrian
Jordyn Marion • Gilbert (NF 15)
Tatiana Paperman • Glendale
Ashlee Moses • Laveen
Madeline Schwister • McDowell Mountain
Kenzie Murphy • North Phoenix (SF 15)
Karlina Riggs • North Scottsdale
Tristany Hightower • Paradise Valley
Tiana Awang • Peoria
Helen Staren • Phoenix
Deanna Decker • Scottsdale (NF 15)
Anna Gowan • South Mountain
Alexis Hardy • Valley of the Sun