IMiss Michigan USA & Miss Michigan Teen USA 2017 are being held in Port Huron with prelims on Friday and finals on Saturday. Contestant photos thus far are posted on their Facebook page, although there's a possibility of official photos being posted after registration - watch this space.
There are 54 contestants in the Miss division - significantly (28%) down on the last few years where there were 70-80 contestants. The last time the group was this size was 2009-2010. Teen is up 11 on last year, 7% up on the average of the last three years, and their highest number since 2011.
Whilst there were four newbies crowned in the five years from 2010-2014 (including eventual Miss USA Rima Fakih), the last two Miss winners have been past runners-up. Teen also leans towards crowning newcomers, with eight of the last ten winning on their first attempt.
In the Miss division, I know of at least two girls, Mari Doan and Kelly Kirstein who have taken advantage of the age increase this year - although from what I've heard there may be a couple of others in the group as well. Mari signed up the day of the announcement and was at orientation a few days later! I love seeing how enthusiastically the opportunity of an extra year of competition is being grabbed.
There are no former Teens in the group this year but Miss Michigan 2014 KT Maviglia is competing in the USA system for the first time. Off the top of my head, I can't remember the last time there was a former Miss MI competing at Miss MI USA! There's been a number of former MAO titleholders competing in USA this year, so much so that I've done a page for them similar to the one I do for former Teen USA titleholders returning each year.
All four 2016 runners-up are back! They are first runner-up Krista Ferguson (also a semi-finalist in 2014), second runner-up Samantha Skowronek (a Teen semi-finalist back in 2009!), third runner-up Elizabeth Johnson (2RU in 2015) and fourth runner-up Sarah Gerberding, who was first runner-up in 2015, and at both Miss MI Teen USA 2009 & 2010. Three of the four 2015 RUs are also competing: Elizabeth, Sarah and Laura Esqueda, 4RU in 2015 and a non-finalist last year. 2013 first runner-up Denice Wimbush is back after missing last year. She was also a semi-finalist in 2015. 2011 Teen 4RU Jenna Przeslawski, who has competed in Miss five times now but only managed to break into the top fifteen once, is also back.
2015 Miss US Supranational Kelly Kirstein is back, she was a semi-finalist in 2015 & 2013. Other returning semi-finalists are Karlen Pitts (2016), Alyse Madej (2016 & 2013), Kaiya Montague (2014 & 2016), Ashley Priest (2015), Ashley Jones (2016), Stephanie Waters (2014 & 2016). Recent Teen semi-finalists competing in Miss are Alexandria Kelly (2015) and Sydney Smith (2014 & 2016).
There are 54 contestants in the Miss division - significantly (28%) down on the last few years where there were 70-80 contestants. The last time the group was this size was 2009-2010. Teen is up 11 on last year, 7% up on the average of the last three years, and their highest number since 2011.
Whilst there were four newbies crowned in the five years from 2010-2014 (including eventual Miss USA Rima Fakih), the last two Miss winners have been past runners-up. Teen also leans towards crowning newcomers, with eight of the last ten winning on their first attempt.
In the Miss division, I know of at least two girls, Mari Doan and Kelly Kirstein who have taken advantage of the age increase this year - although from what I've heard there may be a couple of others in the group as well. Mari signed up the day of the announcement and was at orientation a few days later! I love seeing how enthusiastically the opportunity of an extra year of competition is being grabbed.
There are no former Teens in the group this year but Miss Michigan 2014 KT Maviglia is competing in the USA system for the first time. Off the top of my head, I can't remember the last time there was a former Miss MI competing at Miss MI USA! There's been a number of former MAO titleholders competing in USA this year, so much so that I've done a page for them similar to the one I do for former Teen USA titleholders returning each year.
All four 2016 runners-up are back! They are first runner-up Krista Ferguson (also a semi-finalist in 2014), second runner-up Samantha Skowronek (a Teen semi-finalist back in 2009!), third runner-up Elizabeth Johnson (2RU in 2015) and fourth runner-up Sarah Gerberding, who was first runner-up in 2015, and at both Miss MI Teen USA 2009 & 2010. Three of the four 2015 RUs are also competing: Elizabeth, Sarah and Laura Esqueda, 4RU in 2015 and a non-finalist last year. 2013 first runner-up Denice Wimbush is back after missing last year. She was also a semi-finalist in 2015. 2011 Teen 4RU Jenna Przeslawski, who has competed in Miss five times now but only managed to break into the top fifteen once, is also back.
2015 Miss US Supranational Kelly Kirstein is back, she was a semi-finalist in 2015 & 2013. Other returning semi-finalists are Karlen Pitts (2016), Alyse Madej (2016 & 2013), Kaiya Montague (2014 & 2016), Ashley Priest (2015), Ashley Jones (2016), Stephanie Waters (2014 & 2016). Recent Teen semi-finalists competing in Miss are Alexandria Kelly (2015) and Sydney Smith (2014 & 2016).
 2016 Miss Top Five | Elizabeth Johnson* (3RU), Krista Ferguson* (1RU), Susie Leica (Miss MI USA), Samantha Skowronek* (2RU), Sarah Gerberding* (4RU) (click to view full size) |  2015 Miss Top Five | April Strong (3RU), Sarah Gerberding* (1RU), Rashontae Wawrzyniak (Miss MI USA), Elizabeth Johnson* (2RU), Laura Esqueda* (4RU) (click to view full size) |
There is also a big group of Teen runners-up back, with only one of last year's not returning this year. The three competing are first runner-up Aria Hutchison, third runner-up Alexis Fagan-Williams and fourth runner-up Tiffany Cicotte.
 2016 Teen Top Five | Alexis Fagan-Williams* (3RU), Aria Hutchinson* (1RU), Unjaneé Wells (Miss MI Teen USA), Emiy Finn (2RU), Tiffney Cicotte* (4RU) (click to view full size) |
Click "read more" or scroll below to view the full list of 2017 contestants.
Contestant list
MISS CONTESTANTS (54)
TEEN CONTESTANTS (48)
- Maddison Birgbauer • Algonac
- Ane Marie Hodder • Bay City
- Denice Wimbush • Birmingham (SF 16, 1RU 13, NF 12)
- Joselyn Hardnett • Bloomfield Hills
- Alexandria Kelly • Blue Lakes (SF & Congeniality MI TUSA 15, NF 14, NF 13)
- Sarah Gerberding • Boyne City (4RU 16, 1RU 15, SF 13, 1RU MI TUSA 10, 1RU MI TUSA 09)
- Lindsey Oprisiu • Canton (NF & Congeniality 16, NF MI TUSA 14)
- Marinela Margegaj • Clinton Twp
- Karlen Pitts • Coldwater (SF 16, NF MI TUSA 15)
- Jessica Harris • Detroit
- Sydney Smith • East Lansing (SF MI TUSA 16, NF 15, SF 14)
- Zahara Amhaz • Farmington Hills
- Mari Doan • Ferndale (SF 16, NF IA USA 15, NF IA USA 14, SF IA USA 13)
- Elfriede Hurd • Galien
- Alyse Madej • Garden City (SF 16, SF 13)
- Nicole Gustafson • Garden
- Brittany Horgan • Grand Rapids
- Ebony Dicks • Grand River
- Crystal Hardaway • Great Lakes (NF 15, 1RU MI TUSA 14, NF 13, NF 12)
- Hailey Urbach • Grosse Pointe (NF 16, NF 15, NF NJ USA 13, NF NJ USA 12)
- Cristine Zuchora • Hazel Park
- Laura Esqueda • Heart Of Michigan (NF 16, 4RU 15, SF MI TUSA 14)
- Mallory Ramirez • Holland (NF 15, NF 12)
- Tamika Vantifflin • Huron County
- Kaiya Montague • Inkster (SF 16, NF 15, SF & Photogenic 14, SF 13)
- Myeshia Jones • Jackson
- Alanna McElwee • Kent County
- Kimberley Dunkin • Kimball (NF MI TUSA 16)
- Samantha Skowronek • Lake State (2RU 16, SF MI TUSA 09)
- Ashley Priest • Lighthouse (SF 15, NF 14, NF 13)
- Sierra Bognear • Livonia (NF 14, NF 13)
- Erjola Demiras • Macomb
- Kelly Kirstein • Madison Heights (SF 15, NF 14, SF 13)
- Ashley Jones • Mid-Michigan (SF 16)
- KT Maviglia • Monroe (Miss MI 14)
- Gabrielle Graham • Motor City (NF 16)
- Krista Ferguson • Northshore Bay (1RU 16, SF 14)
- Treshon Jenkins • Oakland County (NF 16)
- Liz Johnson • Plymouth (3RU 16, 2RU 15)
- Chelsea Jenkins • Pure Michigan
- Sharquice Archibald • Saginaw (NF 16, NF 13)
- Rachel Cantu • Shelby Twp
- Aishawarya Singh • South East Michigan
- Arielle Tolbert • Southfield
- Stephanie Waters • Spirit Of Detroit (SF 16, SF 14)
- Karen Tang • St. Clair Lake (NF 16)
- Salena Kasha • Sterling Heights
- Ariees Spangler • Swartz Creek
- Kaylee Blanton • Trenton
- Jenna Przeslawski • Troy (NF 16, NF 15, NF 14, NF 13, SF 12, 2RU MI TUSA 11)
- Eliisa Gladwell • Upper Peninsula
- Devon Kardel • Wayne County
- Daphinne Campodonico • West Bloomfield (NF 16)
- Cassie Czewski • Woodhaven
TEEN CONTESTANTS (48)
- Haley Brach • Anchor Bay
- Savannah Rotmeijer • Ann Arbor
- Audrey Dunlap • Brighton
- Tiffney Cicotte • Canton (4RU 16, NF 15)
- Candis Dikhow • Cass Lake
- Alyssa Wojcik • Clinton Twp
- Lauren Lindsey • Detroit
- Aria Hutchinson • Downtown Plymouth (1RU 16, SF 15)
- Hailey Stroud • Eagle
- Ashley Cetnarowski • East Jordan (NF 16, NF 15)
- Albrieanha Fletcher • Eastpointe
- Tiana Stewart • Genesee
- Ellie Burau • Grand Blanc
- Alma Cooper • Great Lakes
- Rylee Barto • Gwinn (NF 16)
- Alexis Lubecki • Heart Of Michigan (SF & Photogenic 16)
- Elizabeth Smaza • Howell (SF 16, SF 15)
- Julia Duffrin • Jackson County
- Morgan Bolinger • Kingston
- Luz Cruz • Lake St. Clair Usa
- Kearra DeJack • Lake State
- Adrienne Morrin • Lambertville
- Olivia Quintana • Lansing
- Elise Everett • Lighthouse
- Megan Wilkinson • Linden
- Keri Martin • Livonia (SF 16)
- Glennecia Haynes • Macomb County
- Alexis Weston • Macomb Twp (NF 16)
- Michaela Sheets • Marcellus
- Kenzie Weingartz • Marysville
- Rocke’ Jones • Mid-Michigan
- Linde Bolle • Mt Pleasant
- Alexis Birchmeier • New Lothrop
- Annie Heitmeier • Northville
- Rena Grossman • Oakland County
- Ina Dervishi • Plymouth
- Charlee Zimmer • Port Huron (NF 16)
- Alexis Fagan-Williams • Pure Michigan (3RU 16)
- Promise Bingham • Royal Oak Twp (NF 15)
- Kayleigh Carter • Saginaw (NF 16)
- Emily O’Keefe • Silver Lake
- Suzana Smakaj • Sterling Heights
- Sara Trine • Sturgis
- Valirie Dickens • Taylor
- Madison Howard • Trenton
- Kai Movrich • Upper Peninsula
- Riley Hall • Wayland
- Kassidy Myers • West Bloomfield
RSS Feed
