The recent changes made by Robin Fleming to the Miss America system have seen a resurgence in Miss USA titleholders crossing over to MAO, including triple crown titleholder and Miss Wyoming 2023 Mackenzie Kern.
“Miss America 2.0” as it was called, including the removal of the swimsuit competition, meant that we’ve seen very few former Miss USA and Teen USA titleholders compete for Miss America titles in recent years. That has changed this year with former Miss Florida USA director Robin Fleming taking over as Miss America’s national director, reinstating swimsuit and a host of other changes including raising the age limit for contestants.
This weekend Mackenzie Kern became the first of the original “triple crown” winners since 2015 – holding Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss America state titles. She was Miss Wyoming Teen USA 2018, Miss Wyoming USA 2021 and is now Miss Wyoming 2023. The current Miss Wyoming USA 2023 Beck Bridger is herself a former Miss Wyoming so both this year’s Wyoming titleholders have held both titles. The most recent triple crown winner before Mackenzie was Alexis Duprey of New Mexico.
The weekend prior Miss Delaware Teen USA 2014 and Miss Delaware USA 2017 Mia Jones came very close to becoming a triple crown winner herself, placing third runner-up and winning the overall interview award at Miss Delaware 2023.
Other USA titleholders who have competed in the Miss America system this year are:
- Miss Iowa USA 2021 Katie Wadman – top 10 at Miss Iowa 2023
- Miss Maine Teen USA 2019 Mara Carpenter – first runner-up at Miss Maine 2023
- Miss Maryland Teen USA 2021 Maria Derisavi – non-finalist evening gown winner at Miss Maryland 2023
- Miss California USA 2021 Sabrina Lewis – competing at Miss California this weekend
- Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2021 Daisy Sudderth – competing at Miss Texas this weekend
Other 2023 Miss America titleholders who have competed in the MUO system previously are:
- Miss Colorado 2023 Madison Marsh – past runner-up at Miss Colorado USA
- Miss Oklahoma 2023 Sunny Day – past runner-up at Miss Oklahoma USA
- Miss Maryland 2023 Kennedy Taylor – past runner-up at Miss Maryland USA and Miss District of Columbia USA
- Miss South Carolina 2023 Jada Samuel – past semi-finalist at Miss South Carolina USA
A special shoutout also to Tiffany Ticlo, sister of former Miss Arizona 2016 and Miss Arizona USA 2022 Isabel Ticlo for winning the Miss Arizona 2023 title.
