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A native of St Louis, Mikala McGhee was crowned Miss Missouri USA on 15 January 2022 and represented Missouri at the Miss USA 2022 pageant in Reno, Nevada. Mikala is a former college and professional basketballer who transitioned into a career in broadcast media.
Mikala is an enthusiastic multimedia personality who continues to establish her name and brand across the nation. With no professional training or background education in broadcasting, Mikala was able to land a full-time news reporting job at the #1 station in the Greater St. Louis region after completing a three month internship at the station. Her hands-on-work and grassroot efforts in the community, combined with her innate ability to tell compelling stories helped Mikala grow as one of the top young reporters in the region. She eventually utilized her sports background to transition into the sports department as an anchor and sideline reporter, nicknamed Money McGhee, for the “Money Moments” she highlighted for various athletes in the high school sporting arena.
Long before her career in broadcast media, Mikala was a three-sport varsity athlete playing softball, soccer, and basketball at Pattonville High School. Her elite ability as a student-athlete opened various opportunities for service and success. Mikala earned a great deal of honors, including First Team All-Conference in all three sports, First Team All-State and First Team All Metro in basketball and soccer, the St. Louis Cardinals Female Athlete of the Year two years in a row, the Riverfront Times Female Athlete of the Year, and First Team All-Decade Player of the Year in soccer voted on by the St. Louis Post Dispatch. She still holds the scoring record for girls’ basketball at Pattonville High School to this day.
Mikala went on to accept a full-ride athletic scholarship to play Division I basketball at Missouri State University. After two years as a Lady Bear, she transferred to George Mason University as a student-athlete where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication. She continued her education and completed her fifth year of NCAA eligibility at Florida Gulf Coast University as an Eagle. Mikala graduated from FGCU with her Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, emphasis in Law & Administration.
Shortly after college, Mikala moved back to her hometown of St. Louis and began playing professional basketball with the St. Louis Surge while serving a dual role as the team’s communication and social media intern. Once she began her broadcasting career, Mikala stepped down as a player and transitioned into a color commentator for the team. She continues to actively pursue opportunities to grow in her career field, aspiring to one day create and host her own game show!
As an advocate for women in sports as well as mental and physical health, Mikala partners with the St. Louis Surge to level the playing field for young girls in the state of Missouri who wish to participate in youth sports. In addition, Mikala founded her own nonprofit organization, More Miracles STL, a faith-based organization devoted to enriching the lives of families in St. Louis through education, therapy, financial literacy, job placement, and youth mentorship.
Mikala’s favorite quote is, “A woman who walks in purpose does not have to chase people or opportunities. Her light causes people and opportunities to pursue her.”
The on-stage moments, the tension of the final two and the glory of the crowning, here are Mikala’s state pageant photos.
Lights, camera, action! Professional photoshoots are one of the perks that comes from winning a title.
All beautiful things must come to an end, no matter how bittersweet. See Mikala’s farewell walk and other candids from the weekend she crowned her successor Autumn Black as Miss Missouri USA 2023.
