Most notably 2015 first runner-up Sarah Gerberding is back. Last year's 2015 was a tough one because it put Sarah, at that point a two-time Teen runner-up (consecutively, as well!) next to Rashontae Wawrzyniak, a three-time Miss runner-up including 1RU in 2014. As we know Rashontae took the title - all the way to top ten at Miss USA! - but I am so glad to see Sarah competing again this year! In addition to Sarah, 2015 Miss runners-up Elizabeth Johnson (2RU) and Laura Esqueda (4RU) and 2015 Teen 3RU Stephanie Stavrou are all competing for Miss MI USA (there are seven 2015 Teens in the Miss competition this year!).
Another whose inclusion has excited me is Susie Leica. Susie was a runner-up in 2011 and a semi-finalist in 2012 but has not competed since. I absolutely loved her both years (was shocked she didn't make top five her second year) but assumed we wouldn't be seeing her on the stage again... glad she's having another crack at it. Similarly, I'm very happy to see Carla Francavilla, who was also a semi-finalist in 2012 but has not come back since then. Competing for the first time in Michigan is Mari Doan, a former Iowa contestant who has now completed her medical degree (beauty AND brains!) and is now a resident physician in Warren.
In the Teen division, 2015 second runner-up & 2014 fourth runner-up Unjanee' Wells is the only runner-up competing again. There are quite a few semi-finalists from last year back, and a lot of very promising looking newbies.
2016 contestants marked with asterisks below:
Click "read more" or scroll down for the full listing of contestants.
Contestant lists
- Sharquice Archibald • Saginaw (NF 13)
- Stephanie Bakow • Macomb Co.
- Samantha Bankey • Hockeytown (NF 15)
- Gabrielle Bascom • East English Village
- Amanda Beard • Ida
- Kaylyn Boggess • Lincoln Park
- Kayla Borgen • Marlette
- Lenora Camaj • Almont
- Daphinne Campodonico • West Bloomfield
- Brittany Cappoferri • Upper Peninsula
- Courtney Clark • Jackson Co. (NF MI TUSA 09)
- Sydney Cox • Mt Pleasant (NF MI TUSA 15)
- Ariana Cremeens • New Baltimore
- Victoria Davis • Delhi Township (NF 14, SF MI TUSA 13)
- Mari Doan • Lake State (NF IA USA 15, NF IA USA 14, SF IA USA 13)
- Kristine Dowhan • Grosse Ile (NF 14)
- Brittany Dupuis • Metro Detroit (NF MI TUSA 14)
- Laura Esqueda • Northville (4RU 15, SF MI TUSA 14)
- Shalimar Fawaz • Ann Arbor
- Krista Ferguson • Anchor Bay (SF 13)
- Kayla Flenar • Niles
- Carly Francavilla • Bloomfield Hills (SF 12)
- Sarah Gerberding • Heart of Michigan (1RU 15, SF 13, 1RU MI TUSA 10, 1RU MI TUSA 09)
- Gabrielle Graham • Waterford
- Miranda Greenia • Capac (NF MI TUSA 15)
- Stephanie Hodges • Eaton Rapids (SF MI TUSA 15)
- Alexis Hull • Detroit (SF MI TUSA 11)
- Mia Hutchinson • Kellogg Park
- Treshon Jenkins • Redford
- Kendall Johnson • North Ann Arbor
- Elizabeth Johnson • Pure Michigan (2RU 15)
- Ashley Jones • East Lansing
- Krystall Jones • Miracle City
- Madison Kabodian • South Plymouth (NF MI TUSA 14, SF MI TUSA 13)
- Christina Lane • Kent Co.
- Susan Leica • Livonia (SF 12, 3RU 11)
- Delaney Lemke • Rockford (SF 15)
- Natalie Locke • St Clair Shores
- Madison Loney • Commerce Township
- Celine Lopez • Lighthouse
- Lauren MacNaughton • Boyne City
- Alyse Madej • Garden City (SF 13)
- Marilyn Manchell • Dearborn Heights
- Christina Martin • University City
- Kaiya Montague • Inkster (NF 15, SF 14, SF 13)
- Merna Mosa • Clinton River
- Brooke Naumcheff • Hudsonville (NF 15)
- Sarah Neville • Grand Rapids (NF 15)
- Camila Nicholson • Ingham Co.
- Evana Noor • South Warren
- Lindsay O'Leary • Holland
- Lindsey Oprisiu • Canton (NF MI TUSA 14)
- Samantha Parent • Brown City
- Christina Paul • Flat Rock (NF 15)
- Karlen Pitts • Coldwater (NF MI TUSA 15)
- Jenna Przeslawski • Troy (NF 15, NF 14, NF 13, SF 12, 2RU MI TUSA 11)
- Jasmine Sarau • Sterling Heights (SF MI TUSA 15)
- Tiffany Shebli • Dearborn (NF 15, NF 14, NF 13)
- Sarah Shoffner • Port Huron (NF MI TUSA 15)
- Kelsy Shoumate • Macomb Township (NF 15)
- Samantha Skowronek • Oakland Co. (SF MI TUSA 09)
- Jenna Smith • Allen Park
- Stephanie Stavrou • Chesterfield (3RU MI TUSA 15)
- Emily Stevenson • Burton
- Karen Tang • Washtenaw Co.
- Kathy Thrasher • Southfield (SF 15)
- Taney Turner • Saginaw River
- Hailey Urbach • Grosse Pointe (NF 15, NF NJ USA 13, NF NJ USA 12)
- Tamika VanTiffin • Huron Co.
- Stephanie Waters • Great Lakes (SF 14)
MISS MICHIGAN TEEN USA (37)
- Rylee Barto • Gwinn
- Georgia Buckles • Warren
- Angelina Cama • Dryden
- Kayleigh Carter • Saginaw Co.
- Ashley Cetnarowski • Antrim Co. (NF 15)
- Madelyn Christensen • Upper Peninsula
- Tiffney Cicotte • Canton (NF 15)
- Journee Clayton • Saginaw (NF 15)
- Whitney Coletta • Westland
- Hannah Cooper • Jackson
- Jasmine Cunmulaj • Novi
- Dominique Ditmore • Pinckney
- Kimberley Dunkin • Fort Gratiot
- Alexis Fagan-Williams • Great Lakes
- Emily Finn • Wayne Co. (SF 15)
- Jennifer Holubowicz • Oakland Co.
- Aria Hutchinson • Plymouth (SF 15)
- Jaimie Kollias • Riverview
- Gabrielle Kolm • Durand
- Chrisitna Loukopoulos • Troy
- Alexis Lubecki • Allen Park
- Keri Martin • Lake State
- Nadia Nafal • Pure Michigan
- Emily O'Keefe • Whitmore Lake
- Marissa Peterson • Manistee
- Alannah Philips • Flint
- Kasinda Ridi • Lansing
- Tessa Roethemeyer • Shelby Township
- Ashley Sierminski • Jackson Co.
- Elizabeth Smaza • Howell (SF 15)
- Sydney Smith • Blue Lakes (NF 15, SF 14)
- Zoe Stenholm • Lighthouse (SF 15)
- Kaitlynn Townsend • Clare
- Hailey Watson • Columbiaville
- Unjanee' Wells • Heart of Michigan (2RU 15, 4RU 14)
- Alexandra Williams • Rapid River
- Charlee Zimmer • Port Huron