Meet the 51 women competing to be Miss USA 2026

Samantha Havenstrite, 27, is simply a pageant queen who loves adventure. According to her Miss USA bio, she was 1 of the youngest group to climb to the apical of Mount Rushmore. She has besides traveled to much than 40 states and jumped retired of an airplane from 12,000 feet.

Havenstrite became an advocator for crab consciousness aft losing her mother to the illness successful 2020. She is besides a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Holly Huber, 26, is utilizing her Miss USA level to advocator for termination prevention. Huber serves connected the committee of board for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and has received a legislature grant for her ongoing work, according to her Miss USA bio.

Huber loves to publication successful her free time, finishing anyplace from six to 10 books a month. And the Alaska autochthonal comes from a ample family pinch 10 siblings.

Kaitlyn Humphrey, 23, has a grade successful publicity and wide communications from Arizona State University. She useful arsenic a full-time contented creator and has collaborated pinch Fenty Beauty, L'Oréal, and Charlotte Tilbury.

Humphrey grew up performing and has auditioned for "American Idol." She was besides an opening enactment for state vocalist Lee Brice.

Anna Claire Hay, 23, graduated from the University of Arkansas and is readying to spell to aesculapian schoolhouse aft competing astatine Miss USA, according to her bio. She is simply a nonprofit laminitis and avid volunteer, having raised complete $30,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. The pageant queen precocious collaborated pinch Tyson Foods and Sam's Club to thief provender 600 group and supply 200 backpacks filled pinch schoolhouse supplies to those successful need.

Hay was Miss Arkansas Teen 2020 and reached the apical 16 astatine Miss Teen USA 2020.

Acacia McBride, 28, is the laminitis of Chauf, a luxury proscription company. McBride besides useful arsenic a master exemplary and has collaborated pinch brands including Sephora and L'Oréal.

According to her Miss USA bio, McBride likes to telephone herself "Martha 2.0," aft Martha Stewart. She met the manner maven erstwhile they were some featured successful Sports Illustrated.

Jordyn Owen, 30, has a master's grade successful diversion training and has treated master stunt performers. She besides mentors young girls done the acquisition nonprofit Girls Inc.

According to her Miss USA bio, Owen's life changed erstwhile she participated successful an world student ambassador program. It helped Owen spot the world past her mini municipality — which has astir arsenic galore horses and cows arsenic it does group — and changed the measurement she saw herself.

Jaeden Hamelly, 30, has a master's grade successful societal work. According to her Miss USA bio, the pageant queen mislaid complete 100 pounds to execute her dream of joining the US Army, wherever she is simply a unit sergeant and combat medic.

Hamelly has 11 siblings, 7 of whom were adopted done foster care. She is utilizing her Miss USA level to advocator for mental wellness acquisition successful the military.

Julia Hatoum, 24, has a bachelor's grade successful chemic engineering from the University of Delaware, wherever she was student assemblage president and graduated pinch triple minors.

Hatoum now useful arsenic a transmission engineer, managing the attraction of powerfulness grids crossed Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. She is utilizing her Miss USA level to advocator for underrepresented students successful STEM programs.

The pageant queen has walked astatine New York Fashion Week and the Library of Congress' first-ever manner show.

Kennedy Lucas, 28, has a bachelor's grade and an MBA from Hampton University, wherever she was a majorette. Lucas won the Miss Black USA pageant successful 2024.

Lucas useful arsenic a task head and has her ain apparel brand. She besides launched Built From Within, an inaugural to make wellness accessible to women.

According to her Miss USA bio, the pageant queen is simply a immense instrumentality of Disney World and has visited the taxable parkland much than 20 times.

Aileen Cerchiara, 26, was inspired to go a registered caregiver aft watching her begetter acquisition crab curen erstwhile she was a child. She began her aesculapian profession connected the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cerchiara has been a longtime advocator for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a uncommon humor cancer, successful grant of her precocious father. She was a keynote speaker for the National MDS Foundation and is utilizing her Miss USA level to raise consciousness for investigation and education.

Jade Kircus, 36, graduated from the US Naval Academy, wherever she was a Division 1 athlete. Kircus served for 8 years arsenic a aboveground warfare officer successful the Navy.

Kircus is joined and has 3 children. Miss USA 2026 will beryllium the first pageant she has ever competed in.

Darja Bassut, 23, learned to alert an airplane earlier driving her first car. The formation attendant is pursuing her pilot's license. Bassut besides useful arsenic a competitory velocity painter, sometimes making useful of creation successful beforehand of an assemblage while upside down.

When Bassut was 17, her family became evacuees during the warfare successful Ukraine. The acquisition inspired the pageant queen to motorboat Unity Across Borders, a nonprofit dedicated to taste acquisition and humanitarian initiatives.

Katie Tetreault, 30, is the vice president of trading and events for Société Privée, a world luxury wedding network. According to her Miss USA bio, Tetreault has helped create partnerships pinch brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Monique Lhuillier, and Estée Lauder.

Tetreault is besides the laminitis of Achieve Now, an inaugural that partners adolescents pinch mentors and activity experiences.

Vivica Lewandowski, 21, is simply a manner designer and exemplary who has worked pinch brands including Sherri Hill, Dior Beauty, and Neiman Marcus. She won Miss Illinois Teen 2023 and is the girl of Mandy Lane Lewandowski, who won Miss Illinois successful 1998.

The pageant queen was diagnosed pinch PCOS erstwhile she was 20 years aged and has lobbied the Illinois State Capitol and Department of Public Health to advocator for women's hormone health.

According to her Miss USA bio, Lewandowski's favourite puerility representation is playing hide-and-seek pinch members of SEAL Team 6.

Eniola Oke, 22, is studying organization wellness astatine Indiana University. She made history arsenic the first US Air Force member to triumph Miss Indiana. She hopes to go a expert adjunct successful the Air Force.

Oke is the president and cofounder of the Military Outreach Society astatine Indiana University, wherever she mentors military-affiliated students and advocates for veterans' intelligence health. She besides collaborated pinch the school's Army ROTC programme to raise consciousness for seasoned termination prevention.

Madeline Erickson, 22, has a grade successful wide communications from Louisiana State University, wherever she helped screen the SEC shot championship. She is now pursuing a profession successful sports communication.

Erickson won Miss Iowa Teen 2023 and reached the apical 20 astatine Miss Teen USA 2023. Her initiative, I Owe Her, is dedicated to "celebrating the divers voices, mentors, and communities that uplift and style women," according to her Miss USA bio.

Madilynn Becker, 22, is simply a fourth-generation pageant competitor. She was antecedently Miss Kansas Teen USA successful 2021.

Becker was diagnosed pinch skull lesions erstwhile she was 13, and is 1 of 12 cases that person been documented successful aesculapian journals, according to her Miss USA bio. There is an grounds dedicated to Becker successful her town's humanities museum, and July 7 was officially declared "Madilynn Becker Day" successful her hometown of Herington.

Brijet Finister, 36, is simply a erstwhile NFL and NBA dancer who later became a financial advisor. She founded Pretty Pensions, a financial acquisition level designed to thief women build wealth, and hopes to grow it done Prosperi-Tea, a programme that provides women astir the world pinch devices for financial success.

Finister is besides an author. She wrote the book "Good Grief" aft losing her begetter to prostate cancer.

Ella Clark, 24, has a grade successful nationalist relations from LSU. Clark is simply a contented creator and exemplary who has walked successful a manner show astatine Miami Swim Week. She is besides a conservationist who co-owns a character farm.

Clark was inspired to motorboat "The Sooner We Start" programme by her older brother, who has autism. The programme intends to foster inclusivity and supply students pinch acquisition astir developmental and intelligence disabilities.

Mykala Green, 25, is an accomplished fig skater, serving arsenic skipper for the fig skating squad astatine her alma mater, Providence College.

Green has her master's grade successful kid argumentation from Boston University and was accepted to the Chicago-Kent College of Law successful 2026 pinch the extremity of becoming a family lawyer and Guardian advertisement Litem, hoping to advocator for children for illustration her champion friend Nikki, who died of a supplier overdose, according to her Miss USA bio.

Green besides leads virtual condolences groups for kids and mentors different family rule advocates.

Holly Plank, 35, is simply a TV presenter who has a master's grade successful communications from Johns Hopkins University. She hosts and produces a play conception connected NBC's WBAL called "Hometown Highlights pinch Holly."

Plank co-founded The Plank Foundation pinch her hubby to thief nonprofits summation their reach. She's besides a master pianist and vocalist, performing successful venues crossed the US.

Kayshauna Montaño, 28, is simply a nonprofit trading head pinch master's degrees from Brown University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Montaño, who was adopted astatine property 3, launched Fit Your Mold, an inaugural designed to thief children build assurance and observe what makes them unique. She was besides a cheerleader for the New England Patriots, walked successful a manner show during Milan Fashion Week arsenic a assemblage senior, and loves to publication successful her free time.

Amber Uhler, 41, is simply a TV big and speaker who has opened up astir really she mislaid 170 pounds pinch diet, exercise, and belief successful herself successful TEDx talks.

A woman and mother of three, Uhler advocates for aquatics information and drowning prevention aft surviving drowning successful her ain childhood, her Miss USA bio says. She educates others astir drowning prevention and has worked successful her organization to beforehand authorities that makes aquatics lessons free for families that can't spend them.

She hopes to usage the Miss USA level to show different women that they tin support moving connected their goals no matter their age.

Rachel Betterley, 35, is an creation coach who believes successful the powerfulness of creation to heal trauma. She created the task Sketchbooks for Kids, which provides schools pinch sketchbooks and creation supplies for children experiencing hardship, and is besides a erstwhile modern dancer.

The first woman and mother to beryllium crowned Miss Minnesota USA, Betterly loves Minnesota winters, snowmobiling, and cheering her kids connected arsenic they snocross.

Victoria Cantu, 27, is simply a play news anchor for NBC and CBS. She is besides studying meteorology astatine Mississippi State University.

In summation to her broadcasting work, Cantu owns Secret Sculpt Studio, which focuses connected affordable and accessible Pilates classes. She besides uses Pilates to fundraise for her community, raising complete $20,000 for section nonprofits, according to her Miss USA bio.

Madison Beck, 21, is simply a existent property supplier and a first-time homeowner contempt her young age.

She founded the Answer the Call program, which encourages students to prosecute their dreams. Beck is adjacent pinch her family, particularly her copy sister, often joining them for family crippled nights.

Lisbeth Fernández, 28, is pursuing her grade successful authorities intelligence and already holds a grade successful theology. She hopes to go a US diplomat.

Fernández has taken humanitarian trips passim Latin America, and she is an world speaker, giving talks astir ethical AI successful the 3 languages she speaks. She hopes to usage the Miss USA level to proceed her AI defense work.

Emily Lenser, 25, became a neonatal ICU caregiver acknowledgment to her lifelong emotion of "Grey's Anatomy." She became a March of Dimes marque ambassador, advocating for maternal and newborn health, and she hopes to grow that activity arsenic Miss USA.

Lenser besides founded Embracing Imperfections, encouraging others to observe themselves because of her ain acquisition pinch a reside impediment.

Natalie Bode, 27, is simply a sports and poker reporter, arsenic good arsenic the big of the "Stories Untold" podcast. She hopes to usage integer platforms to grow Miss USA's scope if she's crowned queen astatine the pageant.

Bode has done mentorship activity since she was 14. After losing her mother to encephalon crab and being raised by a azygous father, Bode is passionate astir supporting younker and showing them they are not alone.

Samantha LaBonne, 34, is simply a elder customer occurrence master astatine Indeed. She loves h2o skiing and dancing, and she hopes to beryllium connected "Dancing With the Stars" someday.

A mom of two, LaBonne launched the "More Than A Mama" inaugural to promote women to rediscover themselves and pursuit their dreams aft becoming mothers. She's besides collaborated pinch Dress for Success successful conjunction pinch her inaugural and helped walk authorities designating May 6 arsenic Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day.

Katarina Lengyel, 25, has a master's grade from New York University and works successful finance. She is besides a dancer whose dream is to beryllium connected "Dancing With the Stars."

She combines her passion for creation pinch Inspire Dance Team, a nonprofit that offers creation lessons and organization gatherings for neurodivergent people.

Surprisingly, according to her Miss USA bio, Lengyel has ne'er had a sandwich.

Cara Rgnonti, 26, is simply a schoolhouse programme administrator. In her work, she helps students observe their passions and hobbies, starring her to create her initiative, Grow to beryllium Great, which encourages kids to spell aft their dreams.

Rgnonti is besides a master exemplary who has walked successful New York Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and Miami Fashion Week, while advocating for sustainable fashion.

Jenna Dykstra, 30, is simply a licensed expert assistant, model, and perfume marque owner. She was recruited to compete successful pageantry by a aesculapian income typical astatine her office.

According to her Miss USA bio, Dykstra wants to connection pro bono aesculapian attraction to group who person knowledgeable intersexual abuse. She has worked pinch organizations that support survivors for years, hoping to thief others because of her ain acquisition arsenic a child.

She hopes she tin show women the powerfulness that pivoting professionally tin person arsenic Miss USA.

Myla Hadley, 24, has a grade successful biology, but she useful successful business, helping entrepreneurs bargain and waste companies. She has besides worked arsenic a model.

Hadley is an avid equestrian, riding horses whenever she can. She besides founded Zenith House of Wellness, a holistic wellness practice. She hopes to usage her level to thief others entree wellness and wellness education.

Sophia Richards, 25, is simply a earthy performer. She has 10 years of creation experience, is an amateur bronc rider, and useful arsenic a tv news anchor.

Her Miss USA bio says Richards studied overseas successful Japan and is now earning her master's grade successful communications astatine the University of North Dakota. With her title, she intends to advocator for women's intelligence wellness and mentor young people.

Kayelin Tiggs, 34, is dedicated to helping incarcerated women unrecorded pinch dignity. She authored authorities successful Ohio to guarantee menstrual products are provided successful prisons, and she hopes to regularly sojourn incarcerated women if crowned Miss USA.

Outside her work, Tiggs keeps herself engaged arsenic a caretaker for 5 reptiles: 1 snake, 3 tortoises, and 1 bearded dragon. She besides gets her hairsbreadth done each week, which, according to her Miss USA bio, is her favourite measurement to recharge.

Annamaria Thomas, 22, is simply a model. She's walked runways successful New York, Miami, and Milan, and has been featured connected advertisements successful Times Square.

Thomas' experiences passim puerility inspired her to create a nonprofit and advocator for Oklahoma laws to amended protect children from grooming and abuse.

In her spare time, according to her Miss USA bio, she enjoys cuddling her dogs and watching Disney movies.

Claire Wildey, 24, didn't locomotion a accepted way to success. She received various forms of education, including private, public, home, and online schooling. She later took her profession into her ain hands by becoming a exemplary alternatively than entering a modular profession.

She now intends to champion nontraditional acquisition and proceed volunteering pinch Baby2Baby to support azygous mothers.

Elizabeth Voight, 26, mightiness person grown up connected a workplace and served arsenic a Pennsylvania State Fair Queen, according to her Miss USA bio, but now she's fresh to beryllium Miss USA.

She useful arsenic an educator, hoops coach, and model, while besides pursuing her master's grade to go a reference specialist. Additionally, Voight is the laminitis of Read to Lead, which donates books to the Salvation Army each year.

Victoria Cuartas, 33, is the laminitis of The Little Daisy Consulting, done which she useful pinch young group arsenic a life coach.

She's besides an advocator for education. She holds a doctoral grade and serves arsenic a coordinator of undergraduate programs astatine Brown University.

Cuartas' Miss USA bio besides says she's passionate astir music. She loves listening to Celine Dion, and she grew up playing a brass instrumentality called the euphonium.

Victoria Vesce, 33, describes herself successful her Miss USA bio arsenic a millennial pinch 3 dogs and a rule degree. She besides spent years arsenic an NBA dancer who took the shape astatine the 2016 Olympics, and has traveled to much than 40 countries.

Vesce had a encephalon tumor erstwhile she was 23 years old, and she mislaid her mom astatine a young age.

She's since cofounded an undergraduate manner rule programme and created a women's wellness inaugural called Strength successful Community.

Lexus Paulson, 28, believes that everyone deserves to smile. She graduated arsenic a dental hygienist, now useful pinch Invisalign, and is an advocator for closing the dental-care spread crossed the US done her nonprofit, TeamSmile.

She besides enjoys traveling, having visited much than 10 countries and 33 states, according to her Miss USA bio, and was a erstwhile collegiate rower. She now plays tennis and play and runs 10Ks.

Sydney Grace Young, 26, made history successful her family arsenic a first-generation assemblage graduate.

She now has a profession successful trading and is the laminitis of Pappy's Promise, done which she's advocating for the Veterans Early Detection and Accountability Act to amended healthcare for veterans nationwide. It's inspired by the nonaccomplishment of her grandfather to lung cancer.

According to her Miss USA bio, Young likes taking agelong drives and singing successful her car, doing Solidcore, moving connected title cars pinch her dad, and spending clip pinch her 3 dogs.

Alexis Maxine Fuetsch, 21, has ne'er fto her property get successful the measurement of her dreams. According to her Miss USA bio, she became the youngest NBA photographer astatine 16 and opened her ain workplace astatine 19.

She besides discovered the Children's Rehabilitation Institute TeletonUSA astatine property 8 and later helped raise money for the halfway arsenic its gala chair.

After Miss USA wraps, Fuetsch plans to return the LSAT and participate rule school. She intends to activity arsenic a disablement authorities attorney.

Alayzia Christopher, 30, stays grounded pinch the thief of her family and faith, her Miss USA bio says.

She useful successful hospitality and events, but still finds clip to volunteer. Christopher founded a nonprofit called HER, which stands for Helping Empower Resiliency, and she's served connected the committee for the Kids Beating Cancer gala.

Katherine McQuade, 31, is simply a lifelong dancer. She's had 16 years of classical training, attended a performing-arts precocious school, and has moreover danced pinch the Radio City Rockettes arsenic a teen.

She useful arsenic a customer relations specialist, according to her Miss USA bio, and she leads Promoting Hope: Potholders for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness, to raise consciousness of the disease.

McQuade shares her location pinch 5 cats, each named aft TV show characters.

Justus Kelley, 29, is simply a prima of her hometown, according to her Miss USA bio. The section politician erstwhile declared March 11 arsenic "Justus Kelley Day" successful grant of her organization leadership.

She's besides a foster mom of two, a world St. Jude ambassador, and the writer of a children's book bid called "More Than One Thing."

Kelley exclusively wears a secondhand wardrobe for events for illustration Miss USA to beryllium that pageantry tin beryllium accessible to all.

Ellise Kakazu, 35, credits the Miss USA statement pinch redeeming her life arsenic she knowledgeable postpartum depression.

She now serves arsenic a intelligence wellness advocator and a committee personnel of an world statement that supports the intelligence wellness of caller and early mothers.

Alanna Lynch, 25, has followed successful her family's footsteps, serving arsenic a third-generation husbandman and Air Force veteran. But she's besides carved her ain path.

She graduated pinch a master's grade successful communications and founded The Provisions Project to combat nutrient insecurity.

Her first occupation was moving astatine her grandfather's walking petting zoo, and she dreams of competing connected "Survivor."

Olivia Lulich, 23, was a awkward child, truthful she began entering pageants astatine property 5, according to her Miss USA bio. She past went connected to exemplary for American Girl and now has aggregate jobs and passion projects.

She co-owns a beef herd, coaches members of her section activity FFA chapter, useful arsenic an cultivation educator, and produces a podcast called "Diecast and Diesel."

Melanie San Roman, 30, is simply a manner designer who's created looks for Maxim and Miami Swim Week. She began sewing astatine property 6.

Roan is besides nary alien to the stage. Her Miss USA bio says she walked the second runway and was formerly a master bikini bodybuilder.

Additionally, she's the laminitis of a women's wellness app and an advocator for intelligence wellness support, inspired by her ain experiences.