Miss Texas Teen USA

Background

Texas's best performance came in the 1980s, where they placed in all but one year and were runners-up on five occasions. Despite this, they still placed second to New York in that decade in terms of number and value of placements. Despite being on top overall, Texas has never been the best state in any particular decade.

Texas is one of the most successful states across all thirty-seven years of competition at Miss Teen USA. They have had seventeen semi-finalists, three more than any other state. They have won the crown three times (along with Oregon), in 1996 when Christie Lee Woods took the title (Woods later went on to star in The Amazing Race 5 and The Amazing Race 31) and 15 years later in 2011 when Danielle Doty won. Karlie Hay became the third Texan entrant to win the crown in 2016. Texas and the state of Oregon are the only states to have won Miss Teen USA three times. Texas has also won several awards, including Miss Photogenic in 2010.

While a number of Texas teens have competed for the Miss Texas USA title, only six have won both pageants. The most successful of these was Nicole O'Brian, who placed 1st runner-up at Miss Teen USA and 2nd runner-up at Miss USA. O'Brien also competed alongside Woods on The Amazing Race 5. Woods was the first Miss Teen USA to not win a Miss title on her first attempt, and despite competing in a number of years never won the Miss Texas USA crown.

Results summary

Placements

• Miss Teen USAs: Christie Lee Woods (1996), Danielle Doty (2011), Karlie Hay (2016)
• 1st runners-up: Rebecca "Becky" Pestana (1986), Nicole O'Brian (2000)
• 2nd runner-up: Landry Davis (2021)
• 3rd runners-up: Konae Wehle (1985), Kristi Wright (1989), Katherine Perello (2001), Haylee Elyse Puckett (2023)
• 4th runners-up: Sheri Scholz (1983), Charlene Molinar (1984)
• Top 6: Becky Fisher (1990)
• Top 10: Libby Pelton (1988), Christie Cole (1998), Misty Giles (1999), Laika Kalyani Patel (2025)
• Top 12: Kara Williams (1991)
• Top 15: Tye Felan (2003), Magen Ellis (2004), Kellie Stewart (2014), Chloe Kembel (2015), Kirby Lindley (2017)
• Top 20: Dallyn Pesek (2024) Texas holds a record of 24 placements at Miss Teen USA.

Awards

• Style Award: Andria Mullins (1997)
• Swimsuit award: Nicole O'Brian (2000), Katherine Perello (2001)
• Miss Photogenic: Chelsea Morgensen (2010)

Winners

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

1 Age at the time of the Miss Teen USA pageant

References

References

1. "Miss Teen USA ranking".
2. "Miss Texas Teen USA {{!}} Miss Texas USA & Miss Texas Teen USA".
3. Obernauer, Matthew. (2006-01-06). "Austin student learning her role as Miss Texas Teen USA ; Life as beauty queen? Sometimes, it's work". Austin American-Statesman.
4. (2001-11-27). "A tiara fit for a teen". Houston Chronicle.
5. Warren, Mike. (2000-12-06). "Lake Jackson's Perello takes home title of Miss Texas Teen USA". Houston Chronicle.
6. Tavakoli, Brenda. (1998-11-30). "Killeen student wins Miss Texas Teen USA". Houston Chronicle.
7. Berger, Eric. (1997-12-01). "Houston teen wins pageant". Houston Chronicle.
8. Associated Press. (1987-11-30). "Around Texas & Southwest/Austin girl crowned Miss Texas Teen-USA". The Dallas Morning News.
9. (16 June 1985). "San Antonio woman wins teen pageant". [[El Paso Times]].