The first of the five pageants held this weekend will be Miss Mississippi USA & Teen USA 2016. The new titleholders will be crowned Saturday at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica.
Miss
Unusually, the first runners-up from 2015 in both divisions will be competing for Miss Mississippi USA this year. As well as Jayce, 2015 Teen first runner-up Laine Mansour is competing in Miss for the first time. Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2012 fourth runner-up Alay'keeyan Wilks has also moved up to the Miss competition.
Returning semi-finalists are Juliette King (2015), Kaitlyn Orth (2015), April Mayfield (2014), Melissa Martinez (2013) and Hannah Day (2005 Teen).
Teen
* denotes competing in Miss this year | ^ denotes competing in Teen
Contestants
- Brittany Coleman • Jackson Co.
- Emily Cook • Union County
- Hannah Day • Northeast (SF & Photogenic MS TUSA 15)
- Madison Eschan • Starkville
- Meredith Etheridge • Delta River
- Kaley Ford • Summit
- Logan Gray • DeSoto Co.
- Cali Haley • Magnolia
- Olivia Haskins • Pike Co.
- Ellen Hawk • Hospitality State
- Rachel Henderson • Lamar Co.
- Jayce Henry • Pine Belt (1RU 15, 2RU 14)
- Asia Herrod • Calhoun Co.
- Juliette King • Olive Branch (SF 15)
- Lexy Loftin • Deep South
- Laine Mansour • Tupelo (1RU MS TUSA 15, SF 14)
- Melissa Martinez • Tribal Lands (NF 15, SF 13)
- April Mayfield • Vicksburg (SF 14)
- Taylor-Alice Mays • Lafayette Co.
- Tamecia Myers • Southern Magnolia
- Katie Nelson • Jones Co.
- Kaitlyn Orth • Gulf Coast (SF 15)
- Anna-Catherine Parker • Yazoo Co.
- De'Ja Powell • Hattiesburg
- Madison Reap • Capital City
- Kelsey Redus • Golden Triangle
- Chandler Short • Heart of Dixie (3RU 15, 2RU IL TUSA 12)
- Olivia Smith • Oxford
- Haley Sowers • Lauderdale Co. (2RU 15, Miss MS Teen USA 2010)
- Sarah Sutton • Northern MS
- Re'Chelle Turner • Ridgeland (NF 15)
- Ivy White • Magnolia State
- Alay'keeyan Wilks • Forrest Co. (4RU MS TUSA 12)
MISS MISSISSIPPI TEEN USA (29)
- Ashley Arnold • Harrison Co.
- Macy Baker • Southern Magnolia
- Arlene Balch • Gulfport
- Erin Broadus • Magnolia State
- Olivia Brown • Magnolia
- Jenny Burkett • Lincoln Co.
- Alexis Carter • Hattiesburg (SF 15)
- Bre'yana Charles • Jackson Co.
- Emily Cockrell • Panola Co.
- McKaylan Gray • Vicksburg (2RU 15)
- Harleigh Hudson • George Co.
- Hally Hudson • Oxford
- Julia Hummel • Oak Grove
- Tierra Ledbetter • Hospitality State
- Anna Manning • Pascagoula
- Layvionna Mayweather • Grenada
- Acacia McBride • Starkville
- Emily Miller • Madison
- Halle Morrissette • Bellevue
- Madeleine Overby • Columbus (T15 AL TUSA 15, T10 14, T10 13)
- Jade Richardson • South MS (NF 15)
- Seana Ricks • Fulton
- Regan Ringler • Clinton (SF 15)
- Lauren Rymer • Natchez
- Zhane' Steen • Bolivar Co.
- Mary Kathryn Taylor • Senatobia
- Kaitlyn Tullos • Madison Co.
- Savannah Walters • Jones Co.
- Allie Watson • Gulf Coast