Your ultimate Miss USA state pageant resource
Take a trip back into the history of the Miss Nebraska USA and Miss Nebraska Teen USA pageants, from the first winner Berneta Nelson in 1953, to Mimi Wood of Omaha and Aubrie Charter of North Platte in 2023. 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.
Nebraska first competed in the Miss USA pageant in 1953, and was a powerhouse state in the 1950s and early 1960s with three runner-up and three semi-finalist placements between 1953 and 1961 (they did not send a representative in 1960 or 1962). Following that period the state recorded only two more placements, in 1972 and 1980, before a thirty-year dry spell.
Belinda Wright made Miss Nebraska USA history by placing in 2010, less than a week after her father passed away in a tragic farming accident. Belinda rushed home to be with her family then returned for final competition, making the top 15 and winning Miss Congeniality. Since then, Nebraska has had another period of success, this time in both the Miss and Teen divisions – including Sarah Summers winning Nebraska’s very first Miss USA title in 2018 and Faron Medhi winning Miss Teen USA 2022.
Nebraska was one of the last states to have one of their own Teen titleholders win Miss Nebraska USA, with the first coming when Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2004 Meagan Winings won Miss Nebraska USA 2009. Since then five more Nebraska Teen titleholders, have gone on to win the Miss Nebraska USA title. Three of those made the cut at Miss USA, including Sarah Summers.
The pageant has been directed by Vanbros and Associates since 2002.
23 • Omaha
Top 20
at Miss Universe
18 • Omaha
27 • Omaha
24 • Lincoln
Top 16
at Miss USA
27 • Omaha
2nd runner-up
at Miss USA
24 • Omaha
24 • Lincoln
Winner
2nd runner-up
Donna Jo Strever (1955), Natalie Pieper (2022)
3rd runner-up
Shari Lewis (1956), Carolyn McGirr (1957)
Semi-finalist
Berneta Nelson (1953), Margie Winkhoff (1954), Dee Kjeldgaard (1958), Gail Weinstock (1961), Theresa Engels (1972), Rebecca Staab (1980)
Top 15/16/20*
Belinda Wright (2010), Amanda Soltero (2014), Erika Etzelmiller (2021)
* Where the semi-finalists are cut in multiple stages before the top 5 or 6
| IMAGE | YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | AGE | PLACEMENT | AWARD | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 2024 | Kamryn Buchanan | Lincoln | 24 | |||
 | 2023 | Mimi Wood | Omaha | 23 | |||
 | 2022 | Natalie Pieper | Omaha | 27 | 2nd runner-up | ||
 | 2021 | Erika Etzelmiller* | Lincoln | 24 | Top 16 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2016 | |
 | 2020 | Megan Swanson^ | Omaha | 27 | Previously Miss NE 2014; sister of Miss NE 2019 | ||
 | 2019 | Lex Najarian | Lincoln | 25 | |||
 | 2018 | Bree Coffey | Omaha | 24 | Succeeded Sarah as Miss NE USA 2018 | ||
 | 2018 | SARAH SUMMERS* | Omaha | 23 | Miss USA | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2012 | |
 | 2017 | Jasmine Fuelberth* | Norfolk | 20 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2013 (Congeniality @ Miss Teen USA) | ||
 | 2016 | Sarah Hollins* | Omaha | 25 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2009 | ||
 | 2015 | Hoang-Kim Cung | Grand Island | 24 | |||
 | 2014 | Amanda Soltero* | Columbus | 22 | Top 20 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2010 | |
 | 2013 | Ellie Lorenzen | Omaha | 21 | |||
 | 2012 | Amy Spilker | Malcolm | 22 | |||
 | 2011 | Haley Jo Herold | Omaha | 23 | |||
 | 2010 | Belinda Wright | Scotia | 21 | Top 15 | Congeniality | |
 | 2009 | Meagan Winings* | Atkinson | 22 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2004 | ||
 | 2008 | Micaela Johnson | Omaha | 23 | |||
 | 2007 | Geneice Wilcher | Omaha | 26 | |||
 | 2006 | Emily Poeschl | Lincoln | 21 | |||
 | 2005 | Jana Murrell | Omaha | 23 | |||
 | 2004 | Guerin Austin | Omaha | 24 | |||
 | 2003 | Jessica Perea | Omaha | 22 | |||
 | 2002 | Stacey Skidmore | Omaha | 21 | |||
 | 2001 | SuJoing Drakeford | Bellevue | 23 | |||
 | 2000 | Valerie Cook | Omaha | 22 | |||
 | 1999 | WaLynda Lou Sipple* | Grand Island | 24 | Previously Miss MI Teen USA 1992; mother of Miss NE Teen USA 2024 Maggie Wadginski | ||
 | 1998 | Jennifer Naro | Omaha | 23 | |||
 | 1997 | Kimberly Jane Weir | Lincoln | 21 | |||
 | 1996 | Kerry Lynn Kemper | Omaha | 24 | |||
 | 1995 | Chandelle Peacock | Omaha | ||||
 | 1994 | Shawn Wolff | Omaha | ||||
 | 1993 | Tish Gade | Lincoln | ||||
 | 1992 | Jeanna Margaret Blom | Omaha | ||||
 | 1991 | Ziba Ayeen | Omaha | 26 | |||
 | 1990 | Angela Humphrey | Lincoln | 22 | |||
 | 1989 | Renee Harter | Omaha | ||||
 | 1988 | Kellie O'Neil | Omaha | 24 | |||
 | 1987 | Amy Anderson | Kearney | ||||
 | 1986 | Ellen Withrow | Papillion | ||||
 | 1985 | Lori Leigh Straight | Omaha | 19 | |||
 | 1984 | Joni Rundall | Omaha | ||||
 | 1983 | Penelope Boynton | Lincoln | ||||
 | 1982 | Lori Lynn Novicki | Omaha | ||||
 | 1981 | Ladonna Hill | Seward | ||||
 | 1980 | Rebecca Staab | Ralston | 18 | Semi-Finalist | ||
| 1979 | Rhonda Lundberg | McCook | |||||
| 1978 | Shari Alyce Reimers | Omaha | 18 | ||||
| 1977 | Deb Ridge | Hastings | |||||
| 1976 | Catherine Fricke | Omaha | 19 | ||||
| 1975 | Mary Lee Hoth | Omaha | |||||
| 1974 | Mary Wolff | Omaha | 19 | ||||
| 1973 | Janice Geiler | Omaha | 21 | Photogenic | |||
| 1972 | Theresa Engels | Omaha | 18 | Semi-Finalist | |||
| 1971 | Lora Butler | Omaha | 25 | ||||
| 1970 | Bonnie McElveen | Bellevue | |||||
| 1969 | Marilyn Poole | Omaha | 19 | ||||
| 1968 | Linda Dresher | Omaha | |||||
| 1967 | Terry Lee Schmidt | Lincoln | 18 | ||||
| 1966 | Karen Weinfurtner | Omaha | 23 | Succeeded Janice Zielinski | |||
| 1966 | Janice Zielinski | Omaha | 23 | Resigned shortly after her crowning | |||
| 1965 | Constance Kellogg | Omaha | |||||
| 1964 | Georgia Ann Merriam | Lincoln | |||||
| 1963 | Sandy Zimmer | Kearney | Succeeded Cheryl Warden | ||||
| 1963 | Cheryl Warden | Fremont | Resigned following a situation involving a challenge to the winner of Miss Nebraska (America) - read the news article in the clippings gallery below, it's a doozy! | ||||
| 1962 | – | ||||||
| 1961 | Gail Weinstock | Omaha | 20 | Semi-Finalist | |||
| 1960 | – | ||||||
| 1959 | Priscilla Eckrish | Lincoln | 20 | ||||
| 1958 | Dee Kjeldgaard | Big Springs | 21 | Semi-Finalist | |||
| 1957 | Carolyn McGirr | Sidney | 18 | 3rd Runner-Up | |||
| 1956 | Shari Lewis | Daykin | 19 | 3rd Runner-Up | |||
| 1955 | Donna Jo Streever | Grand Island | 21 | 2nd Runner-Up | Sister of Sharon Kay Ritchie, Miss America 1955 | ||
| 1954 | Margie Winkhoff | Grand Island | Semi-Finalist | ||||
| 1953 | Berneta Nelson | Clay Center | 20 | Semi-Finalist |
| YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | AGE | PLACEMENT | AWARD | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kamryn Buchanan | Lincoln | 24 | |||
| 2023 | Mimi Wood | Omaha | 23 | |||
| 2022 | Natalie Pieper | Omaha | 27 | 2nd runner-up | ||
| 2021 | Erika Etzelmiller* | Lincoln | 24 | Top 16 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2016 | |
| 2020 | Megan Swanson^ | Omaha | 27 | Previously Miss NE 2014; sister of Miss NE 2019 | ||
| 2019 | Lex Najarian | Lincoln | 25 | |||
| 2018 | Bree Coffey | Omaha | 24 | Succeeded Sarah as Miss NE USA 2018 | ||
| 2018 | SARAH SUMMERS* | Omaha | 23 | Miss USA | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2012 | |
| 2017 | Jasmine Fuelberth* | Norfolk | 20 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2013 (Congeniality @ Miss Teen USA) | ||
| 2016 | Sarah Hollins* | Omaha | 25 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2009 | ||
| 2015 | Hoang-Kim Cung | Grand Island | 24 | |||
| 2014 | Amanda Soltero* | Columbus | 22 | Top 20 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2010 | |
| 2013 | Ellie Lorenzen | Omaha | 21 | |||
| 2012 | Amy Spilker | Malcolm | 22 | |||
| 2011 | Haley Jo Herold | Omaha | 23 | |||
| 2010 | Belinda Wright | Scotia | 21 | Top 15 | Congeniality | |
| 2009 | Meagan Winings* | Atkinson | 22 | Previously Miss NE Teen USA 2004 | ||
| 2008 | Micaela Johnson | Omaha | 23 | |||
| 2007 | Geneice Wilcher | Omaha | 26 | |||
| 2006 | Emily Poeschl | Lincoln | 21 | |||
| 2005 | Jana Murrell | Omaha | 23 | |||
| 2004 | Guerin Austin | Omaha | 24 | |||
| 2003 | Jessica Perea | Omaha | 22 | |||
| 2002 | Stacey Skidmore | Omaha | 21 | |||
| 2001 | SuJoing Drakeford | Bellevue | 23 | |||
| 2000 | Valerie Cook | Omaha | 22 | |||
| 1999 | WaLynda Lou Sipple* | Grand Island | 24 | Previously Miss MI Teen USA 1992; mother of Miss NE Teen USA 2024 Maggie Wadginski | ||
| 1998 | Jennifer Naro | Omaha | 23 | |||
| 1997 | Kimberly Jane Weir | Lincoln | 21 | |||
| 1996 | Kerry Lynn Kemper | Omaha | 24 | |||
| 1995 | Chandelle Peacock | Omaha | ||||
| 1994 | Shawn Wolff | Omaha | ||||
| 1993 | Tish Gade | Lincoln | ||||
| 1992 | Jeanna Margaret Blom | Omaha | ||||
| 1991 | Ziba Ayeen | Omaha | 26 | |||
| 1990 | Angela Humphrey | Lincoln | 22 | |||
| 1989 | Renee Harter | Omaha | ||||
| 1988 | Kellie O'Neil | Omaha | 24 | |||
| 1987 | Amy Anderson | Kearney | ||||
| 1986 | Ellen Withrow | Papillion | ||||
| 1985 | Lori Leigh Straight | Omaha | 19 | |||
| 1984 | Joni Rundall | Omaha | ||||
| 1983 | Penelope Boynton | Lincoln | ||||
| 1982 | Lori Lynn Novicki | Omaha | ||||
| 1981 | Ladonna Hill | Seward | ||||
| 1980 | Rebecca Staab | Ralston | 18 | Semi-Finalist | ||
| 1979 | Rhonda Lundberg | McCook | ||||
| 1978 | Shari Alyce Reimers | Omaha | 18 | |||
| 1977 | Deb Ridge | Hastings | ||||
| 1976 | Catherine Fricke | Omaha | 19 | |||
| 1975 | Mary Lee Hoth | Omaha | ||||
| 1974 | Mary Wolff | Omaha | 19 | |||
| 1973 | Janice Geiler | Omaha | 21 | Photogenic | ||
| 1972 | Theresa Engels | Omaha | 18 | Semi-Finalist | ||
| 1971 | Lora Butler | Omaha | 25 | |||
| 1970 | Bonnie McElveen | Bellevue | ||||
| 1969 | Marilyn Poole | Omaha | 19 | |||
| 1968 | Linda Dresher | Omaha | ||||
| 1967 | Terry Lee Schmidt | Lincoln | 18 | |||
| 1966 | Karen Weinfurtner | Omaha | 23 | Succeeded Janice Zielinski | ||
| 1966 | Janice Zielinski | Omaha | 23 | Resigned shortly after her crowning | ||
| 1965 | Constance Kellogg | Omaha | ||||
| 1964 | Georgia Ann Merriam | Lincoln | ||||
| 1963 | Sandy Zimmer | Kearney | Succeeded Cheryl Warden | |||
| 1963 | Cheryl Warden | Fremont | Resigned following a situation involving a challenge to the winner of Miss Nebraska (America) - read the news article in the clippings gallery below, it's a doozy! | |||
| 1962 | – | |||||
| 1961 | Gail Weinstock | Omaha | 20 | Semi-Finalist | ||
| 1960 | – | |||||
| 1959 | Priscilla Eckrish | Lincoln | 20 | |||
| 1958 | Dee Kjeldgaard | Big Springs | 21 | Semi-Finalist | ||
| 1957 | Carolyn McGirr | Sidney | 18 | 3rd Runner-Up | ||
| 1956 | Shari Lewis | Daykin | 19 | 3rd Runner-Up | ||
| 1955 | Donna Jo Streever | Grand Island | 21 | 2nd Runner-Up | Sister of Sharon Kay Ritchie, Miss America 1955 | |
| 1954 | Margie Winkhoff | Grand Island | Semi-Finalist | |||
| 1953 | Berneta Nelson | Clay Center | 20 | Semi-Finalist |
