Your ultimate Miss USA state pageant resource
Take a trip back into the history of the Miss Kentucky USA and Teen USA pageants, from the first winner to the most recent. Get to know every single Miss and Teen titleholder with a full listing, hometown map and extensive photo archive, with state pageant photos, Miss USA and Teen USA competition photos and more.
This Miss Kentucky USA history archive starts with the very first representative Jean Tingle, who made the news as the first to marry one of the men she met when competing at Miss USA – less than two months after the pageant! Kentucky is home to two Miss USAs, both crowned in the last 20 years, Tara Conner of Russellville and Elle Smith of Louisville. Tara is one of two Kentucky women who placed in the top five at both Miss Teen USA and Miss USA, the other being Kristen Johnson. Kentucky pageant winners once hailed from all across the state, but in recent years there has been a trend towards Miss winners residing in Louisville. 2023 winner Madalyne Kinnett is the first to hail from Lexington since the aforementioned Jean Tingle in 1952 – and the first to come from outside Louisville since 2014! Miss Kentucky USA 1976 Connie Clark later directed the pageants for many decades. They are now under the direction of Miss Ohio USA 1990 Melissa Proctor Pitchford and Proctor Productions.
20 • Russell Springs
4th runner-up
at Miss Universe
23 • Louisville
Top 10
at Miss Universe
22 • Louisville
24 • Louisville
23 • Louisville
Winner of
Miss USA 2021
23 • Louisville
21 • Lexington
Winner
Tara Conner (2006), Elle Smith (2021)
2nd runner-up
Kristen Johnson (2005)
3rd runner-up
Julie Andrus (1965)
4th runner-up
Johanna Reid (1964), Patricia Barnstable (1971), Lisa Devillez (1980), Kristina Chapman (1982), Maria Montgomery (2009)
Top 5/6
Tiffany Tenfelde (1990), Angela Hines (1992)
Semi-finalist
Mary Stice (1953), Marcia Chumbler (1961), Sally Margaret Carter (1962), Carol June Wallace (1975), Mitzi Jones (1995)
Top 8/10/11*
Katie George (2015)
* Where the semi-finalists are cut in multiple stages before the top 5 or 6
Congeniality
Kay Pinkley (1968), Connie Clark (1976), Kia Hampton (2011)
Photogenic
Robin Overby (1985)
State Costume
Charlesy Gulick (1974)
| IMAGE | YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | AGE | PLACEMENT | AWARD | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 2023 | Madalyne Kinnett | Lexington | 22 | |||
 | 2022 | Lizzy Neutz | Louisville | 23 | |||
 | 2021 | ELLE SMITH | Louisville | 23 | Miss USA | ||
 | 2020 | Lexie Iles | Louisville | 24 | |||
 | 2019 | Jordan Weiter | Louisville | 22 | |||
 | 2018 | Braea Tilford | Louisville | 25 | |||
 | 2017 | Madelynne Myers | Louisville | 22 | |||
 | 2016 | Kyle Hornback | Louisville | 20 | |||
 | 2015 | Katie George | Louisville | 21 | Top 11 | ||
 | 2014 | Destin Kincer | Whitesburg | 21 | |||
 | 2013 | Allie Leggett | Whitley City | 19 | |||
 | 2012 | Amanda Mertz | Louisville | 25 | |||
 | 2011 | Kia Hampton | Louisville | 21 | Congeniality | ||
 | 2010 | Kindra Clark | Mt. Washington | 19 | |||
 | 2009 | Maria Montgomery | Danville | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
 | 2008 | Alysha Harris | Carrollton | 20 | |||
 | 2007 | Michelle Banzer | Louisville | 24 | Previously Miss KY Teen USA 2002 (2RU Teen USA); 4RU Miss Universe | ||
 | 2006 | TARA CONNER* | Russell Springs | 20 | Miss USA | Previously Miss KY Teen USA 2000 (2RU Miss Teen USA) | |
 | 2005 | Kristen Johnson* | Slaughters | 23 | 2nd runner-up | ||
 | 2004 | Lauren Stengel | Louisville | 22 | |||
 | 2003 | Lori Mitchell | Scottsville | 21 | |||
 | 2002 | Elizabeth Arnold* | Columbia | 22 | Previously Miss KY Teen USA 1998 | ||
 | 2001 | Jo Pritchard | Hardin | 23 | |||
 | 2000 | Jolene Youngster | Glasgow | 23 | |||
 | 1999 | Lori Menshouse^ | Ashland | 26 | Previously Miss KY 1997 | ||
 | 1998 | Nancy Bradley | Franklin | 23 | |||
 | 1997 | Rachyl Hoskins | Liberty | 22 | |||
 | 1996 | Lorie West | Campbellsville | 22 | |||
 | 1995 | Mitzi Jones | White Plains | 22 | Semi-finalist | ||
 | 1994 | Kim Buford | Paducah | 26 | |||
 | 1993 | Karen Gibson | Kevil | ||||
 | 1992 | Angela Hines | Maysville | Top 6 | |||
 | 1991 | Susan Farris | Benton | ||||
 | 1990 | Tiffany Tenfelde | Lakeside Park | Top 6 | |||
 | 1989 | Veronica Hensley | Danville | ||||
 | 1988 | Suzanne Pitman | Murray | ||||
 | 1987 | Beth Clark | Mayfield | ||||
 | 1986 | Jackie Taylor | Paducah | ||||
 | 1985 | Robin Overby | Calvert City | Photogenic | |||
 | 1984 | Tammy Melendez | Murray | ||||
 | 1983 | Lee Ann Austin | Benton | ||||
 | 1982 | Kristina Chapman | Owensboro | 4th runner-up | |||
 | 1981 | Denise Gibbs | Paducah | ||||
 | 1980 | Lisa Devillez | Owensboro | 4th runner-up | |||
 | 1979 | Linda Passmore | Hopkinsville | ||||
 | 1978 | Linda Woodruff | Louisville | ||||
 | 1977 | Sandy Smith | Princeton | 23 | Previously Miss WY 1976; mother of Miss KY 2002 | ||
 | 1976 | Connie Clark | Benton | Congeniality | Later the director of Miss KY USA for many decades | ||
 | 1975 | Carol June Wallace^ | Somerset | Semi-finalist | |||
 | 1974 | Charlesy Gulick | Williamstown | State Costume | |||
 | 1973 | Nancy Coplen | Mayfield | ||||
 | 1972 | Tamara Branstetter | Summer Shade | 18 | |||
 | 1971 | Patricia Barnstable | Louisville | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
 | 1970 | Joanna Smith | Morgantown | 19 | |||
 | 1969 | Regina Pryor | Leitchfield | 20 | |||
 | 1968 | Kay Pinkley | Murray | 19 | Congeniality | ||
 | 1967 | Debbie Dibble | Murray | 18 | |||
 | 1966 | Jennifer Burcham | Hickman | 18 | |||
 | 1965 | Julie Andrus | Mayfield | 18 | 3rd runner-up | †2009 | |
 | 1964 | Johnna Reid | Paducah | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
 | 1963 | Mary Ann Arnold | Calvert City | 20 | |||
 | 1962 | Sally Margaret Carter | Mayfield | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
 | 1961 | Marcia Chumbler | Mayfield | 18 | Semi-finalist | ||
 | 1960 | Barbara Joan Lovins | Alexandria | 19 | |||
 | 1959 | Sherree Owens | Louisville | 22 | |||
 | 1958 | Shannon Beasley | Henderson | 22 | |||
| 1957 | Did Not Compete | ||||||
| 1956 | Did Not Compete | ||||||
| 1955 | Did Not Compete | ||||||
 | 1954 | Nikki Horner | Prospect | 28 | |||
 | 1953 | Mary Stice | Paducah | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
 | 1952 | Jean Tingle | Lexington | 20 |
| YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | AGE | PLACEMENT | AWARD | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Madalyne Kinnett | Lexington | 22 | |||
| 2022 | Lizzy Neutz | Louisville | 23 | |||
| 2021 | ELLE SMITH | Louisville | 23 | Miss USA | ||
| 2020 | Lexie Iles | Louisville | 24 | |||
| 2019 | Jordan Weiter | Louisville | 22 | |||
| 2018 | Braea Tilford | Louisville | 25 | |||
| 2017 | Madelynne Myers | Louisville | 22 | |||
| 2016 | Kyle Hornback | Louisville | 20 | |||
| 2015 | Katie George | Louisville | 21 | Top 11 | ||
| 2014 | Destin Kincer | Whitesburg | 21 | |||
| 2013 | Allie Leggett | Whitley City | 19 | |||
| 2012 | Amanda Mertz | Louisville | 25 | |||
| 2011 | Kia Hampton | Louisville | 21 | Congeniality | ||
| 2010 | Kindra Clark | Mt. Washington | 19 | |||
| 2009 | Maria Montgomery | Danville | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
| 2008 | Alysha Harris | Carrollton | 20 | |||
| 2007 | Michelle Banzer | Louisville | 24 | Previously Miss KY Teen USA 2002 (2RU Teen USA); 4RU Miss Universe | ||
| 2006 | TARA CONNER* | Russell Springs | 20 | Miss USA | Previously Miss KY Teen USA 2000 (2RU Miss Teen USA) | |
| 2005 | Kristen Johnson* | Slaughters | 23 | 2nd runner-up | ||
| 2004 | Lauren Stengel | Louisville | 22 | |||
| 2003 | Lori Mitchell | Scottsville | 21 | |||
| 2002 | Elizabeth Arnold* | Columbia | 22 | Previously Miss KY Teen USA 1998 | ||
| 2001 | Jo Pritchard | Hardin | 23 | |||
| 2000 | Jolene Youngster | Glasgow | 23 | |||
| 1999 | Lori Menshouse^ | Ashland | 26 | Previously Miss KY 1997 | ||
| 1998 | Nancy Bradley | Franklin | 23 | |||
| 1997 | Rachyl Hoskins | Liberty | 22 | |||
| 1996 | Lorie West | Campbellsville | 22 | |||
| 1995 | Mitzi Jones | White Plains | 22 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1994 | Kim Buford | Paducah | 26 | |||
| 1993 | Karen Gibson | Kevil | ||||
| 1992 | Angela Hines | Maysville | Top 6 | |||
| 1991 | Susan Farris | Benton | ||||
| 1990 | Tiffany Tenfelde | Lakeside Park | Top 6 | |||
| 1989 | Veronica Hensley | Danville | ||||
| 1988 | Suzanne Pitman | Murray | ||||
| 1987 | Beth Clark | Mayfield | ||||
| 1986 | Jackie Taylor | Paducah | ||||
| 1985 | Robin Overby | Calvert City | Photogenic | |||
| 1984 | Tammy Melendez | Murray | ||||
| 1983 | Lee Ann Austin | Benton | ||||
| 1982 | Kristina Chapman | Owensboro | 4th runner-up | |||
| 1981 | Denise Gibbs | Paducah | ||||
| 1980 | Lisa Devillez | Owensboro | 4th runner-up | |||
| 1979 | Linda Passmore | Hopkinsville | ||||
| 1978 | Linda Woodruff | Louisville | ||||
| 1977 | Sandy Smith | Princeton | 23 | Previously Miss WY 1976; mother of Miss KY 2002 | ||
| 1976 | Connie Clark | Benton | Congeniality | Later the director of Miss KY USA for many decades | ||
| 1975 | Carol June Wallace^ | Somerset | Semi-finalist | |||
| 1974 | Charlesy Gulick | Williamstown | State Costume | |||
| 1973 | Nancy Coplen | Mayfield | ||||
| 1972 | Tamara Branstetter | Summer Shade | 18 | |||
| 1971 | Patricia Barnstable | Louisville | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
| 1970 | Joanna Smith | Morgantown | 19 | |||
| 1969 | Regina Pryor | Leitchfield | 20 | |||
| 1968 | Kay Pinkley | Murray | 19 | Congeniality | ||
| 1967 | Debbie Dibble | Murray | 18 | |||
| 1966 | Jennifer Burcham | Hickman | 18 | |||
| 1965 | Julie Andrus | Mayfield | 18 | 3rd runner-up | †2009 | |
| 1964 | Johnna Reid | Paducah | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
| 1963 | Mary Ann Arnold | Calvert City | 20 | |||
| 1962 | Sally Margaret Carter | Mayfield | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1961 | Marcia Chumbler | Mayfield | 18 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1960 | Barbara Joan Lovins | Alexandria | 19 | |||
| 1959 | Sherree Owens | Louisville | 22 | |||
| 1958 | Shannon Beasley | Henderson | 22 | |||
| 1957 | Did Not Compete | |||||
| 1956 | Did Not Compete | |||||
| 1955 | Did Not Compete | |||||
| 1954 | Nikki Horner | Prospect | 28 | |||
| 1953 | Mary Stice | Paducah | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1952 | Jean Tingle | Lexington | 20 |
