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Miss South Carolina USA

Beauty pageant competition

Field	Value
name	Miss South Carolina USA
formation	1952
type	Beauty pageant
headquarters	Aiken
location	South Carolina
membership	Miss USA
language	English
key_people	Ariana Blaize
website	Official website

The ** Miss South Carolina USA **competition, previously known as Miss South Carolina Universe, is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. The pageant is produced by Paula Miles, the sister of Miss South Carolina USA 1979, Janice McDonald, from 1980 until 2024 under directed by RPM Productions. In 2025 and onwards, the pageant is now produced and directed by Ariana Blaize, Miss Universe Guyana 2024, under A Blaize Productions alongside the rest of former RPM states.

Miriam Stevenson, South Carolina's first Miss USA and the United States' first Miss Universe, was also the first Miss USA winner to have competed at Miss America. She was the first woman to have competed at Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Universe. South Carolina's second Miss USA was Shawn Weatherly, who also went on to win Miss Universe.

Nine Miss South Carolina USAs have also held the Miss South Carolina Teen USA title and competed at Miss Teen USA. Two have also competed at Miss America.

Miss South Carolina USA titleholders have also competed at two other major international pageants. Gina Tolleson, first runner-up at Miss USA 1990, went on to win the Miss World crown that year, and Miss South Carolina USA 2004, Amanda Pennekamp, has also competed at the Miss Earth 2006 pageant where she made the top 16.

Gallienne Nabila of Greer was crowned Miss South Carolina USA 2025 on August 31, 2025, at The Twichell Auditorium in Spartanburg. She represented South Carolina for the title of Miss USA 2025.

Gallery of titleholders

File:Miriam Stevenson with globe (cropped).jpg|Miriam Stevenson, Miss South Carolina USA 1954, Miss USA 1954 & Miss Universe 1954 File:Shawn Weatherly.jpg|Shawn Weatherly, Miss South Carolina USA 1980, Miss USA 1980 & Miss Universe 1980 File:Allison Grisso Miss SC USA 1983.png|Allison Grisso, Miss South Carolina USA 1983 File:Maribeth Curry.jpg|Maribeth Curry, Miss South Carolina USA 1986 File:Gina Tolleson.jpg|Gina Tolleson, Miss South Carolina USA 1990, Miss World USA 1990 & Miss World 1990 File:Lu Parker headshot.jpg|Lu Parker, Miss South Carolina USA 1994, Miss USA 1994 File:AmandaPennekamp.jpg|Amanda Pennekamp, Miss South Carolina USA 2004, competing as Miss Earth USA in the swimsuit competition at Miss Earth 2006 File:LacieLybrand.jpg|Lacie Lybrand, Miss South Carolina USA 2006 File:Stephanie Smith cropped.jpg|Stephanie Murray Smith, Miss South Carolina USA 2009

Results summary

Miss USAs: Miriam Stevenson (1954), Shawn Weatherly (1980), Lu Parker (1994)
1st runners-up: Mary Kemp Griffin (1953), Betty Cherry (1956), Vickie Chesser (1970), Gina Tolleson (1990), Amanda Pennekamp (2004)
2nd runners-up: Eva Engle (1969), Allison Grisso (1983), Audra Wallace (1992)
3rd runner-up: Virginia Murray (1976)
5th runner-up: Megan Pinckney (2013)
Top 5/8: Lauren Poppell (1999), Courtney Turner (2011), Megan Gordon (2017), Marley Stokes (2021)
Top 10/12: Susan Gordon (1972), Maribeth Curry (1986), April Abel (1988), Kelli Gosnell (1993), Lisa Rabon (2000), Ashley Williams (2002), Anna Hanks (2003), Lacie Lybrand (2006), Stephanie Murray Smith (2009), Christina Zapolski (2014)
Top 15/16/19/20: Susan Anthony Day (1953), Sara Stone (1955), Jean Spotts (1957), Patricia Ann Moss (1958), Cecelia Yoder (1963), Vicki Harrison (1965), Ashley Zais (2007), Jamie Hill (2008), Erika Powell (2012), Leah Lawson (2016), Kirby Elizabeth Self (2023), Gracen Grainger (2024), Gallienne Nabila (2025)

South Carolina holds a record of 40 placements at Miss USA third overall behind Texas and California.

Awards

Miss Congeniality: Kiki Kirkland (1973)
Miss Photogenic: Sonja Glenn (1998)
Best State Costume: Vicki Chesser (1970), Virginia Murray (1976)
Best in Swimsuit: Lauren Poppell (1999)

Winners

;Color key

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

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local title	Placement at Miss USA	Special awards at Miss USA	Notes
2025	Gallienne Nabila	Greer	28	Miss Greer	Top 20
2024	Gracen Grainger	Clemson	22	Miss Golden Corner	Top 20
2023	Kirby Elizabeth Self	Greenwood	23	Miss Upstate	Top 20
2022	Meera Bhonslé	Lexington	25	Miss Upstate
2021	Marley Stokes	Lexington	23	Miss Golden Corner	Top 8
2020	Hannah Jane Curry	Greer	20	Miss Greenville
2019	MaKenzie Divina	Anderson	21	Miss Upstate
2018	Tori Sizemore	Anderson	22	Miss Golden Corner
2017	Megan Gordon	North Augusta	23	Miss Upstate	Top 5
2016	Leah Lawson	Laurens	21	Miss Mountain Lakes	Top 15		Auditioned on American Idol season 14 and eliminated during Hollywood Week
2015	Sarah Weishuhn	Goose Creek	20	Miss Summerville
2014	Christina Zapolski	Charleston	22	Miss Isle of Palms	Top 10		Contestant on Hunted
2013	Megan Pinckney	North Charleston	21	Miss James Island	5th runner-up
2012	Erika Powell	Greenville	26		Top 16
2011	Courtney Turner	North Augusta	20		Top 8
2010	Rachel Law	Greenville	21
2009	Stephanie Murray Smith	Goose Creek	21		Top 10		Contestant on The Amazing Race 17
2008	Jamie Hill	Columbia	24		Top 15		Contestant on The Amazing Race 10
2007	Ashley Zais	Newberry	20		Top 15
2006	Lacie Lybrand	Lexington	23		Top 10
2005	Sarah Medley	North Charleston	18
2004	Amanda Pennekamp	Columbia	22		1st runner-up
2003	Anna Hanks	Belton	21		Top 10
2002	Ashley Williams	Little Mountain	20		Top 12 (6th)
2001	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/79456465/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa1	title=Limestone College fund director is Miss South Carolina USA	last=Powell	first=Lynne	date=15 November 2000	newspaper=The Gaffney Ledger	page=1	via=Newspapers.com}}	Fountain Inn	24
2000	Lisa Rabon	Myrtle Beach	21		Top 10 (9th)
1999	Lauren Poppell	Rock Hill	23		Top 5 (4th)	Best in Swimsuit
1998	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/193762220/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=Wofford Senior from Chesnee crowned Miss South Carolina USA	date=5 November 1997	newspaper=The Greenville News	via=Newspapers.com}}	Chesnee	21			Miss Photogenic
1997	Casey Mizell	Irmo	22
1996	Lysa Jackson	Charleston	19
1995	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/194178360/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=New Miss South Carolina USA crowned	date=28 November 1994	newspaper=The Greenville News	page=2A	via=Newspapers.com}}	Lexington	23
1994	Lu Parker	Charleston	26		Miss USA 1994		Top 6 finalist at Miss Universe 1994
1993	Kelli Gosnell	Pacolet	22		Semi-finalist
1992	Audra Yolanda Wallace	Charleston	22		2nd runner-up
1991	Traci Rufty	Columbia	21
1990	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/192080226/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=Spartanburg woman wins state beauty title	date=5 December 1989	newspaper=The Greenville News	via=Newspapers.com}}	Spartanburg	20		1st Runner-up
1989	Angela Shuler	Rock Hill	21
1988	April Abel	Johnston	20		Semi-finalist
1987	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/191596806/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=Aiken student named Miss South Carolina	date=1 December 1986	page=3B	via=Newspapers.com}}	Aiken	21
1986	Maribeth Curry	Mauldin	20		Semi-finalist
1985	Ann Margarete Hughes	Charleston
1984	Ginger Greer	Lugoff
1983	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/70116632/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=Miss SC USA Crowned	date=7 February 1983	newspaper=The Index-Journals	page=10	via=Newspapers.com}}	Columbia	21		2nd Runner-up
1982	Margo Wood	Columbia
1981	Zade Turner	Myrtle Beach	21
1980	Shawn Nichols Weatherly	Sumter	20		Miss USA 1980		Miss Universe 1980
1979	Janice McDonald	Myrtle Beach	20				Co-founder of RPM Productions with her sister Paula Miles
1978	Kathryn Threatt	Pickens
1977	Pam Hoover	Florence
1976	Virginia Murray	Chester			url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/200649869/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=Five North Carolinians survive crash; 2 killed	last=The Associated Press	date=21 July 1989	newspaper=Asheville Citizen-Times	page=1	via=Newspapers.com}}	Best Costume	Flight attendant and survivor of United Airlines Flight 232
1975	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/51920132/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=Greenville Girl wins SC-USA Title	date=31 March 1975	newspaper=The Aiken Standard	page=1	via=Newspapers.com}}	Greenville
1974	Carol Lynn Hollis	Rock Hill
1973	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/189769299/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=Miss SC-USA Plans to Leave For Pageant in New York May 11	date=2 May 1973	newspaper=The Greenville News	page=9	via=Newspapers.com}}	Newberry	21			Congeniality
1972	Susan Gordon	Rock Hill			Semi-finalist
1971	url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/68685098/?terms=miss%2Bsouth%2Bcarolina%2Busa	title=New Queen	date=22 March 1971	newspaper=Florence Morning News	via=Newspapers.com}}	Eastover
1970	Vickie Lynn Chesser	Mt. Pleasant	19		1st Runner-up	Best Costume
1969	Eva Engle	Columbia			2nd Runner-up
1968	Kathryn "Kay" Knoy
1967	Lanette Hope Patterson	Cayce	20
1966	Joselyn Jeanne Alarie	Columbia
1965	Vicki Jean Harrison	Lexington			Top 15
1964	Judy Kennedy
1963	Cecelia McBride Yoder				Top 15
1962	Judy Clyburn
1961	Yvonne Quick
1960	Margaret Thompson
1959	Mary Powell
1958	Patricia Ann Moss				Semi-finalist
1957	Jean Spotts				Semi-finalist
1956	Betty Cherry	Columbia			1st Runner-up
1955	Sara Stone				Semi-finalist
1954	Miriam Stevenson	Winnsboro	20		Miss USA 1954
1953	Mary Kemp Griffin				1st runner-up
Susan Anthony Day				Semi-finalist
1952	Margie Allen

References

(27 June 1961). "Limestone's Beauties". The Gaffney Ledger.
(20 June 1964). "Winthrop Girl wins state 'Universe' title". The Index-Journal.
Price, Mark. (13 November 2006). "Woman responsible for share of Cinderellas". The Desert Sun.
(29 November 1989). "Clemson co-ed hopes history will repeat itself at pageant". The Greenville News.
Lucas, Lynne. (24 November 1991). "A Different World". The Greenville News.
Richardson, Claire. (March 30, 2021). "Marley Stokes speaks with Good Morning Columbia after being crowned Miss South Carolina USA". [[WOLO-TV]].
(November 20, 2015). "Pageant crowns new Miss South Carolina USA". [[WCSC-TV]].
Davis, Kimberlei. (November 25, 2019). "Newberry College junior crowned Miss South Carolina USA 2020". WOLO-TV.
Oyer, Kalyn. (November 18, 2017). "The new Miss SC USA and Miss SC Teen USA have been crowned". [[The Post and Courier]].
Powell, Lynne. (15 November 2000). "Limestone College fund director is Miss South Carolina USA". The Gaffney Ledger.
(5 November 1997). "Wofford Senior from Chesnee crowned Miss South Carolina USA". The Greenville News.
(8 March 1998). "Miss Photogenic". The Greenville News.
(28 November 1994). "New Miss South Carolina USA crowned". The Greenville News.
(9 February 1992). "Miss USA had quit pageants after error". [[The San Bernardino County Sun]].
(5 December 1989). "Spartanburg woman wins state beauty title". The Greenville News.
(3 March 1990). "Miss Michigan chosen Miss USA". The Gettysburg Times.
(9 November 1987). "Miss South Carolina USA". The Index-Journal.
(1 December 1986). "Aiken student named Miss South Carolina".
Norman, Diane. (1986-03-23). "Golden Thread is Common Theme for Miss South Carolina USA". Herald-Journal.
The Associated Press. (16 February 1986). "Mauldin Teen Crowned Miss South Carolina-USA". The Greenville News.
(7 February 1983). "Miss SC USA Crowned". The Index-Journals.
(1981-02-07). "Miss South Carolina-USA likes Baryshnikov". The Rock Hill Herald.
(16 May 1980). "South Carolina coed is new Miss USA". [[Hattiesburg American]].
(21 April 1979). "River pirates". [[Tampa Times]].
The Associated Press. (21 July 1989). "Five North Carolinians survive crash; 2 killed". Asheville Citizen-Times.
(31 March 1975). "Greenville Girl wins SC-USA Title". The Aiken Standard.
(1 April 1974). "Rock Hill Woman wins Beauty Title". The Greenville News.
(2 May 1973). "Miss SC-USA Plans to Leave For Pageant in New York May 11". The Greenville News.
(22 March 1971). "New Queen". Florence Morning News.
(21 March 1971). "Bishopville Beauty Runner-up in Contest". The Sumter Daily Item.
(4 March 1971). "2 Upstate Residents to Seek Title". The Greenville News.
(17 May 1966). "Beauty, Southern Style, Preps For Miss U.S.A.". [[The Miami News]].
(1 June 1965). "RELAXING FROM MISS USA REHEARSAL". [[The Jackson Sun]].
(18 July 1963). "MISS U.S.A. AND 14 RUNNERS-UP". [[Iowa City Press-Citizen]].

Info: Wikipedia Source

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