One of my favourite sections of the site (even if I’ve never settled on the perfect name for it!), a look at all the Miss Texas Teen USA titleholders who’ve gone on to compete at Miss USA or in other state pageants. It’s always inspiring to see where their journeys have taken them — whether they won a crown early on, competed once or twice and then hung up the heels or kept showing up year after year, showing persistence in their quest to walk the Miss USA stage.
Only six Miss Texas Teen USA titleholders have won Miss Texas USA, a comparatively small number given the numbers who have competed at the state level. Nicole O’Brien (2000) is one of the most successful contestants to compete in both Miss Teen USA and Miss USA, finishing top three in both.
The 2000s and early 2010s routinely saw multiple former Teens competing each year, but since Miss Texas Teen USA 2013 Daniella Rodriguez won in 2016 we have only seen three former Teens compete. History was made at Miss Texas USA 2002 with six former Teens – consecutive from 1995 to 2000 – competing in the same state pageant. Despite competing 24 times between the six of them over the late 1990s and early 2000s, only Nicole won a title.
Two of Texas’ former Miss Teen USA winners, Christie Lee Woods (1996) and Danielle Doty (2011) have competed at Miss Texas USA but neither won the title. Christie competed three times, with her highest placement being 3rd runner-up in 2002. Danielle was a semi-finalist at Miss Texas USA 2018.
2nd runner-up
1
Nicole O’Brian (2000)
Semi-finalist
1
Kara Williams (1991)
Top 8/10/11/12*
1
Magen Ellis (2004)
1996
1
Kara Williams (1991)
1999
1
Carissa Blair (1992)
2003
1
Nicole O’Brien (2000)
1980s
0
1990s
2
Kara Williams (1991), Carissa Blair (1992)
2020s
0
Winners highlighted in italics.
1980s
2
Charlene Molinar (1984), Konae Wehle (1985)
1990s
7
Kara Williams (1991), Carissa Blair (1992), Mandy Jeffreys (1995), Christie Lee Woods (1996), Andria Mullins (1997), Christie Cole (1998), Misty Giles (1999)
2000s
7
Nicole O’Brian (2000), Brittany Tiner (2002), Tye Felan (2003), Magen Ellis (2004), Raevan Valadez (2006), Lauren Guzman (2008), Kelli Harral (2009)
2010s
4
Chelsea Morgensen (2010), Danielle Doty (2011), Daniella Rodriguez (2013), Kirby Lindley (2017)
2020s
0
Texas, California New York
Winner
6
Kara Williams (1991), Carissa Blair (1992), Nicole O’Brian (2000), Magen Ellis (2004), Lauren Guzman (2008), Daniella Rodriguez (2013)
3rd runner-up
1
Christie Lee Woods (1996)
Top 10
1
Tye Felan (2003)
Non-finalist
5
Charlene Molinar (1984), Konae Wehle (1985), Christie Cole (1998), Misty Giles (1999), Kelli Harral (2009)
