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Miss Hawaii USA

Beauty pageant competition

Field	Value
name	Miss Hawaii USA
formation	1952
type	Beauty pageant
headquarters	Honolulu
location	Hawaii
language	English
leader_title	Executive Director
leader_name	Alicia Michioka
website	Official website

Miss Universe (1952 – 1959)
Miss USA (1960 – Present) The Miss Hawaii USA competition, previously known as Miss Hawaii Universe, is a beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.

Issha Rose Mata of Hilo was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 2025 on March 22, 2025 at Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. She represented Hawaii at Miss USA 2025.

History

Hawaii is the most recent state to participate in Miss USA, first competing in 1962. Prior to being admitted to full statehood in 1959, it sent delegates to Miss Universe. Despite the late start, it has been one of the most successful: Hawaii's first Miss Hawaii USA, Macel Wilson, won the Miss USA title. Four Miss USA winners came from Hawaii, one of four states with four titles (only second to Texas and California). Though many Miss USA winners and semifinalists came from Hawaii, relatively few have placed as runners-up. Two previously competed at Miss Teen USA. Kelly Hu, Miss Teen USA 1985, became the first Miss Teen USA winner to win a Miss title, in 1993.

Many Miss Hawaii USA titleholders competed at a number of international pageants. Similar to Miss South Carolina USA, there was one Miss Hawaii USA that competed at Miss World. Another one competed at Miss International. Four of the winners competed at Miss Universe, after winning Miss USA. Six titleholders represented the United States or Hawaii at major international pageants, with Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Brook Lee, winning the title of Miss USA 1997 and capturing the crown of Miss Universe 1997, one of only 9 Miss USA winners to become Miss Universe in the history of the pageant.

Gallery of titleholders

File:TeriAnnLinn in 2009.jpg|Teri Ann Linn, Miss Hawaii USA 1981 at her Punahou School reunion in June 2009 File:Miss Hawaii USA 1990 parade.jpg|Leimomi Bacalso, Miss Hawaii USA 1990 in the 1989 Mililani Town Christmas Parade File:KellyHu.jpg|Kelly Hu, Miss Hawaii USA 1993 and Miss Teen USA 1985, at a public event File:Brook Lee.JPG|Brook Lee, Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Miss USA 1997 and Miss Universe 1997 File:Chelsea Hardin King Kamehameha Parade 2016 cropped.jpg|Chelsea Hardin, Miss Hawaii USA 2016 File:Savannah Gankiewicz - August 2023.png|Savannah Gankiewicz, Miss Hawaii USA 2023 and Miss USA 2023

Results summary

Placements

Miss USAs: Macel Wilson (1962), Tanya Wilson (1972), Judi Andersen (1978), Brook Lee (1997)
1st runner-up: Chelsea Hardin (2016), Savannah Gankiewicz (2023)Savannah Gankiewicz was originally 1st runner-up at Miss USA 2023 but assumed title after the winner relinquished her title for personal reasons.
2nd runner-up: Blanche Leialoha Maa (1979)
4th runner-up: Teri Ann Linn (1981)
Top 6: Kelly Hu (1993)
Top 8/10/11/12: Lois Wise (1975), Cely De Castro (1977), Vanessa Dubois (1982), Tina Machado (1985), Kym Digman (1991), Nadine Tanega (1994), Alicia Michioka (2003), Chanel Wise (2007), Angela Byrd (2011), Emma Wo (2015), Samantha Neyland (2020), Breea Yamat (2024)
Top 15: Elithe Aguiar (1965), Judith Wolski (1966), Carol Seymour (1968), Stephanie Quintana (1969), Lacie Choy (2019)

Hawaii holds a record of 26 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

Miss Congeniality: Ku'ualoha Taylor (1996), Michelle Kaplan (2000)
Miss Photogenic: Kelly Hu (1993)
Style Award: Lynn Vesnefski (1995)
Best State Costume: Savannah Gankiewicz (2023)

Winners

;Color key

Declared as Winner
Ended as runner-up or finalist
Ended as one of the semifinalists

Year	Name	Hometown	Age
Age at the time of crowning	Local title	Placement at Miss USA	Special awards at Miss USA	Notes
2025	Issha Rose Mata	Hilo	30	Miss Hilo
2024	Breea Yamat	Oahu	27	Miss Oahu	Top 10
2023	Savannah Gankiewicz	Kihei	27	Miss Wailea	1st Runner-up	Best State Costume
2022	Kiana Yamat	Honolulu	27	Miss Waikiki
2021	Allison Chu	26	Miss Wailupe
2020	Samantha Neyland	Honolulu	24	Miss Hawaii Kai	Top 10
2019	Lacie Choy	20	Miss Waikiki	Top 15
2018	Julianne Chu	Honolulu	26	Miss Honolulu
2017	Julie Kuo	23
2016	Chelsea Hardin	Honolulu	24	Miss East Oahu	1st Runner-up		Being crowned Miss Hawaii USA was her first pageant experience.
2015	Emma Wo	Honolulu	25	Miss Manoa	Top 11
2014	Moani Hara	Manoa	24	Miss Nuuanu
2013	Brianna Acosta	Waialua	21
2012	Brandie Cazimero	Hawaii Kai	26
2011	Angela Byrd	Honolulu	18		Top 8
2010	Renee Mokihana Nobriga	Pupukea	25
2009	Aureana Tseu	Mililani
2008	Jonelle Layfield	Kaneohe	22
2007	Chanel Wise	Honolulu	21		Top 10
2006	Radasha Hoohuli	Nanakuli	26
2005	Jennifer Fairbank	Honolulu	25
2004	Justine Michioka	Kapaa	22
2003	Alicia Michioka	Kapaa	24		Top 10
2002	Juliet Lighter	Honolulu	26
2001	Christy Leonard	Lahaina	22
2000	Michelle Kaplan	Kona	23			Miss Congeniality
1999	Trini-Ann Leilani Kaopuiki	Honolulu	26
1998	Tiffini Kawaonaheleopeil Hercules	Kailua
1997	Leslie-Ann Kwailan Lum	Honolulu	26		did not compete}}
Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee	Pearl City	26		Miss USA 1997		Miss Universe 1997
1996	Kuualoha Taylor	Hilo	25			Miss Congeniality
1995	Lynn Vesnefski	Honolulu	19			Style Award
1994	Nadine Atangan Tanega	Honolulu	26		Top 12
1993	Kelly Ann Hu	Honolulu	24		Top 6	Miss Photogenic
1992	Heather Elizabeth Hays	Honolulu	20
1991	Kym Lehua Digmon	Honolulu	25		Top 11
1990	Leimomi Bacalso	Ewa Beach	20
1989	Julie Larson	Honolulu	21
1988	Paula Prevost
1987	Deborah Laslo	Haleiwa
1986	Toni Costa	Kailua	20
1985	Tina Machado	Waipahu	25		Top 10
1984	Puna Stillman	Honolulu
1983	Zoe Roach	Waipahu
1982	Vanessa DuBois	Honolulu	23		Top 12
1981	Teri Ann Linn	Honolulu	20		4th Runner-up
1980	Carol Ching	Kaneohe
1979	Blanche Leialoha Maa	Kaneohe	20		2nd Runner-up
1978	Judi Andersen	Honolulu	20		Miss USA 1978
1977	Cely De Castro	Honolulu	23		Top 12
1976	Brenda Texeira	Hilo
1975	Lois Mililani Wise	Honolulu	21		Top 12
1974	Joan OttensmeyerAgnes Lum was initially crowned, but later disqualified for being under the age requirements. Cf. Ottensmeyer v. Baskin	Kaneohe
1973	Camille Deubel
1972	Tanya Denise Wilson	Honolulu	21		Miss USA 1972
1971	Deborah L. Gibson	Honolulu	18
1970	Donna Hartley	Honolulu	22
1969	Stephanie Quintana	Honolulu	22		Top 15
1968	Carol Ann Seymour	Waiʻanae	24		Top 15 Best in Swimsuit
1967	Nancy Victoria Banks	Honolulu
1966	Judith Wolski	Honolulu	18		Top 15
1965	Elithe Aguiar	Kapaa	20
1964	Wanda Byrd		18
1963	Susan Molina	Honolulu
1962	Macel Wilson	Honolulu	19		Miss USA 1962
1961	did not compete
1960	Gordean Lee				withdrew from competing in Miss USA 1960
1959	Patricia Visser	Honolulu			competed as a territory at Miss Universe 1959
1958	Geri Hoo	Honolulu	18		competed as a territory at Miss Universe 1958	2nd Runner-up at Miss Universe 1958
1957	Ramona Tong	Honolulu			competed as a territory at Miss Universe 1957
1956	Olan Peltier				Did not compete (No shows) at Miss Universe	No show at Miss Universe 1956.
1955	Audrey Jennie Yvonne Garcia				No show at Miss Universe 1955.
1954	Gertrude Kapiolani Miller	Honolulu	21		No show at Miss Universe 1954.
Later Miss Hawaii 1954 and won a Non-Finalist Talent Award at Miss America 1955.
1953	Aileen Lauwae Stone			competed as a territory at Miss Universe 1953
1952	Elsa Kananionapua Edsman	Honolulu	20		competed as a territory at Miss Universe 1952	1st Runner-up at Miss Universe 1952

Notes

References

(October 16, 2024). "Maui native represented Hawaii at Miss USA, winning 1st place for an outfit honoring Lahaina". [[Hawaii News Now]].
(May 9, 2024). "The Miss USA Organization is thrilled to announce that Miss Hawaii USA Savannah Gankiewicz is Miss USA 2023. She will be crowned in her native state of Hawaii in a celebratory coronation on Wednesday, May 15.". [[Miss USA]].
ʻUfi, Elizabeth. (May 9, 2024). "Miss Hawaii USA 2023 to be crowned as Miss USA". [[KHON2]].
(4 August 2017). "FULL LIST: Winners, Mutya ng Pilipinas 2017".
Everington, Keoni. (16 May 2017). "Julie Kuo first Taiwanese-born woman to compete in Miss USA contest". Taiwan News.
[http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/16047314/miss-hawaii-usa-2012-brandie-cazimero Miss Hawaii USA 2012 Brandie Cazimero - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL Home - Honolulu]
"Ottensmeyer v. Baskin". FindACase.
(18 May 1971). "Me Jane!". [[Tampa Times]].
(12 May 1970). "They've Come A Long Way". [[Coshocton Tribune]].
(16 May 1968). "SWIMSUIT WINNERS". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
(16 May 1967). "Pride Of The Southwest". [[Arizona Daily Star]].
(27 June 1952). "'Miss Hawaii' Ruled Finalist With 'Foreign' Beauties". [[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]].
(August 5, 2010). "Kapa'a native crowned 2010 Mrs. Hawai'i". [[The Garden Island]].
(Jul 31, 1988). "TV People". [[Newsday]].
(July 25, 1978). "Miss South Africa Wins Title". [[Los Angeles Times]].
(July 30, 1972). "Miss Australia Named As 1972 Miss Universe". [[New York Times]].
(July 13, 1962). "Miss USA is beauty from Hawaii". [[Chicago Tribune]].

Info: Wikipedia Source

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