The Miss Arizona competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

in the

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...

pageant. Arizona has twice won the Miss America title. The first Miss Arizona, Anna Marie Barnett, was crowned in 1938. Melody Pierce of

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

was crowned Miss Arizona 2022 on June 25, 2022 at the Madison Center of the Arts in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

. She competed for the title of

Miss America 2023 Miss America 2023 was the 95th edition of the Miss America pageant, which occurred at the Mohegan Sun on December 16, 2022. The 2023 calendar year, based on several sources, may be the final year at Mohegan Sun. Rather than being aired on mai ...

at the

Mohegan Sun Mohegan Sun is an American casino, owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe on of their reservation, along the banks of the Thames River in Uncasville, Connecticut. It has of gambling space. It is in the foothills of southeastern Connecticut, ...

Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is an area in the New England town, town of Montville, Connecticut, Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is a Administrative divisions of Connecticut#Village, neighborhood, section of town, village in southeastern Montville, at the ...

in December 2022 where she was a Women Who Brand Finalist.

Gallery of past titleholders

File:Vonda Van Dyke 2008.png, File:Miss Arizona 1968 - Linda Johnson (Moore, Dewalt) in 2016.jpg, File:BrendaStrong.jpg, File:Corrie Hill headshot.png, File:HilaryGriffith.png, File:NicoleTurnerHeadshot.png, File:Miss Arizona 2013 Jennifer Smestad.jpg, File:Jacqueline Thomas.jpg,

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Arizona titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

* Miss Americas:

Jacque Mercer Jacquelyn Joy Mercer (January 7, 1931 – February 2, 1982) was Miss America in 1949. Biography Mercer was born in Thatcher, Arizona. In 1949, she won the title of Miss America. She is mentioned (usually by title, once by name) several times ...

(

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

Vonda Kay Van Dyke Vonda Kay Van Dyke (born May 19, 1943) was crowned the 1965 Miss America on September 13, 1964. Earlier in the year, she had taken a break as a 21-year-old junior at Arizona State College at Flagstaff (as of 1966, "Northern Arizona University" ...

(

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

) * 3rd runners-up: Barbara Hilgenberg (1957) (tie), Stacey Momeyer (1998), Jennifer Sedler (2012) * 4th runners-up: Patricia Allebrand (1960), Susan Bergstrom (1964), Stacey Peterson (1976) * Top 10: Beth Andre (1956), Lynn Freyse (1958), Pam Wenzel (1980), Debra Daniels (1983), Kathryn Bulkley (2011) * Top 15: Anna Marie Barnett (1938), Wanda Law (1947),

Laura Lawless Laura Lawless Robertson (born 1978) held the title of Miss Arizona 2002 and placed in the Top 15 Semifinals at the Miss America 2003 Pageant held on September 21, 2002, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Miss Arizona Lawless competed at Miss Arizona ...

(2003)

Awards

Preliminary Awards

* Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness:

(1949), Lynn Freyse (1958) * Preliminary Talent:

(1949), Pam Wenzel (1980)

Non-finalist Awards

* Non-finalist Talent: Paula Lou Welch (1963), Linda Gail Sirrine (1973), Sarah Tattersall (1982), Lisa Mandel (1989), Tammy Kettunen (1990), Kimberly Hoskins (1991), Stacy Agren (1995), Erin Gingrich (1997), Erin Nurss (2009), Amber Barto (2021)

Other awards

* Miss Congeniality:

(1965) * Quality of Life Award Winners: Amanda Murray (1994), Stacy Agren (1995) * Quality of Life Award 1st runners-up: Hilary Griffith (2007) * Quality of Life Award Finalists: Audrey Sibley (2006) * Special Scholarship: Donna Riggs (1959) * Women in Business Scholarship Award Finalists: Jacqueline Thomas (2020) * Women Who Brand Finalists: Melody Pierce (2023)

Winners

External links

Official website

References

{{Miss America state Arizona culture

Women in Arizona