Miss USA 2015 was the 64th Miss USA pageant, held at the Baton Rouge River Center Arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 12, 2015. All fifty states and the District of Columbia competed.
At the end of the event, Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma was crowned Miss USA 2015 by the previous winner, Nia Sanchez of Nevada and this was Oklahoma's first Miss USA title and the only one as well for now in the pageant's history.
The pageant was broadcast on Reelz after remarks made by Miss Universe Organization owner Donald Trump regarding Mexican immigrants during Trump's speech announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination for U.S. President on June 16, 2015, in New York City led NBC, which had broadcast the pageant since 2003, and incumbent rights holders Univision Communications and Televisa to terminate their relationships with the Organization and Trump himself. It was also affected by many of the originally announced hosts, judges and musical performers pulling out in protest. Miss USA generated a unique Twitter audience of 2.42 million, according to Nielsen Social, No. 1 among entertainment series and specials during the week ended July 12.
Entertainment correspondent Alex Wehrley, a former Miss Wisconsin USA 2009, was brought in to host the pageant alongside game show host Todd Newton after original hosts Cheryl Burke of Dancing with the Stars and MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts withdrew. Julie Alexandria was brought in to serve as backstage correspondent after the original correspondent, Jeannie Mai, withdrew. Roselyn Sánchez and Cristián de la Fuente were supposed to serve as hosts for the spanish broadcast, but pulled out in light Trump's speech announcing his candidacy for United States president.
This was the only Miss USA to be aired on Reelz and this was the last edition that Donald Trump had been the owner. This was also the first pageant since 1964 to take place in the month of July.
Results Placements
PlacementContestantMiss USA 2015Oklahoma – Olivia Jordan 1st Runner-Up Texas – Ylianna Guerra 2nd Runner-Up Rhode Island – Anea Garcia 3rd Runner-Up Nevada – Brittany McGowan 4th Runner-Up Maryland – Mamé Adjei Top 11 Alabama – Madison Guthrie Delaware – Renee Bull Hawaii – Emma Wo Kentucky – Katie George § Louisiana – Candice Bennatt Michigan – Rashontae Wawrzyniak Top 15 Arizona – Maureen Montagne Illinois – Renee Wronecki New York – Thatiana Diaz Virginia – Laura Puleo
§ Voted into Top 11 after the swimsuit competition by the public
Awards Award Contestant Miss Congeniality Alaska – Kimberly Agron Delaware – Renee Bull Miss Photogenic Indiana – Gretchen Reece
Pageant Preliminary round Prior to the final telecast, the delegates compete in the preliminary competition, which involves private interviews with the judges and a presentation show where they compete in swimsuit and evening gown. It was held on July 10, 2015, on the official Miss USA YouTube channel and was hosted by Nick Teplitz and Nia Sanchez.
Judges Alison Taub B. J. Coleman Daurius Baptist Fred Nelson Jennifer Palpallatoc Lori Lung Maureen Storto
Finals The format reverted to top 15, as it was in 2013, during the final competition, the top fifteen semifinalists competed in swimsuit, 10 of the 15 semifinalists were chosen by the judges, while one was chosen for a public vote, as they competed in evening gown, before five were chosen to advance. The top 5 competed in the final question round signed up by a panel of judges and a final runway, the winner was decided by a panel of judges alongside the four runners-up.
Judges Tara Conner – Miss USA 2006 from Kentucky Rima Fakih – Miss USA 2010 from Michigan Crystle Stewart – Miss USA 2008 from Texas Nana Meriwether – Miss USA 2012 from Maryland Kimberly Pressler – Miss USA 1999 from New York Danielle Doty – Miss Teen USA 2011 from Texas Leila Lopes – Miss Universe 2011 from Angola Brook Lee – Miss Universe 1997 from United States Michelle McLean – Miss Universe 1992 from Namibia
Contestants 51 delegates participated: State/district Name Age Height Hometown Placement NotesAlabama Madison Guthrie 20 Hoover Top 11Alaska Kimberly Agron 20 Anchorage Previously Miss Alaska Teen USA 2013ArizonaMaureen Montagne 22 Chandler Top 15 Previously 1st runner-up at Mutya ng Pilipinas 2013Later placed 1st Runner-Up at Miss World America 2017Later joined Miss World Philippines 2018 and was crowned Miss Eco Philippines 2018Later became 1st runner-up at Miss Eco International 2018 as Miss PhilippinesLater joined Binibining Pilipinas 2021 and was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2021Later crowned The Miss Globe 2021 as Miss PhilippinesArkansas Leah Blefko 21 FayettevilleCalifornia Natasha Martinez 23 Chino HillsColorado Talyah Polee 26 DenverConnecticut Ashley Golebiewski 21 Berlin Delaware Renee Bull 22 Middletown Top 11 District of Columbia Lizzy Olsen 26 Washington, D.C.Florida Ashleigh Lollie 24 Grand RidgeGeorgia Brooke Fletcher 23 Peachtree City Previously Miss Georgia Teen USA 2009Hawaii Emma Wo 25 Honolulu Top 11 Previously Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2008Idaho Claira Hollingsworth 22 Preston Previously Miss Idaho Teen USA 2011Illinois Renee Wronecki 22 Burbank Top 15Indiana Gretchen Reece 23 North Vernon Iowa Taylor Even 22 JesupKansas Alexis Railsback 19 ShawneeKentucky Katie George 21 Louisville Top 11 Fan vote winnerLouisiana Candice Bennatt 26 New Orleans Top 11 Previously Miss New Mexico 2012Maine Heather Elwell 26 West BathMaryland Mamé Adjei 23 Silver Spring 4th Runner-Up 1st Runner-Up of season 22 of America's Next Top ModelMassachusetts Polikseni Manxhari 24 BostonMichigan Rashontae Wawrzyniak 25 Detroit Top 11Minnesota Jessica Scheu 23 Prior LakeMississippi Courtney Byrd 23 OxfordMissouri Rebecca Dunn 24 ColumbiaMontana Tahnee Peppenger 27 Great FallsNebraska Hoang-Kim Cung 24 Grand IslandNevada Brittany McGowan 25 Spring Valley 3rd Runner-UpNew Hampshire Samantha Poirier 24 DoverNew Jersey Vanessa Oriolo 21 Colts Neck New Mexico Alexis Duprey 24 Alamogordo Previously Miss New Mexico Teen USA 2009Previously Miss New Mexico 2013 New York Thatiana Diaz 22 Bayside Top 15 Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2010 North Carolina Julia Dalton 24 Wilmington Previously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2008Sister of Miss USA 2009 Kristen DaltonDaughter of Miss North Carolina USA 1982 Jeannie Boger North Dakota Molly Ketterling 20 Elgin Ohio Sarah Newkirk 25 Columbus OklahomaOlivia Jordan 26 TulsaMiss USA 2015 Previously Miss World America 2013Oregon Bridget Wilmes 22 CanbyPennsylvania Elizabeth Cardillo 25 PittsburghRhode Island Anea Garcia 20 Cranston 2nd Runner-Up Later Miss Grand International 2015 (represented Dominican Republic) and then dethronedSouth Carolina Sarah Weishuhn 23 Goose CreekSouth Dakota Lexy Schenk 21 Irene Previously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2011Tennessee Kiara Young 25 NashvilleTexas Ylianna Guerra 22 McAllen 1st Runner-Up Utah Nicol Powell 21 Salt Lake City Sister of Miss Utah USA 2013 Marissa PowellVermont Jackie Croft 24 Winooski Virginia Laura Puleo 25 Lexington Top 15 Sister of Miss North Carolina USA 2004 Ashley PuleoWashington Kenzi Novell 24 SpokaneWest Virginia Andrea Mucino 24 MorgantownWisconsin Haley Laundrie 21 Lake Mills Wyoming Caroline Scott 22 Cheyenne Previously Miss Wyoming Teen USA 2010
Controversy On June 25, 2015, Univision Communications president and CEO Randy Falco announced that the company would terminate its contract to broadcast Spanish language coverage of the 2015 Miss USA pageant (which was set to air on UniMás) and sever its business ties with Miss Universe Organization co-owner Donald Trump, following comments regarding illegal Mexican immigrants that were made by Trump during his speech announcing his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States on June 16, in which Trump stated that illegal Mexicans immigrating into the U.S. were responsible for importing drugs, and bringing crime, rapists, and drug dealers into the country, and called for the building of a wall along the Mexico–United States border. Chilean actor Cristián de la Fuente and Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sánchez, who were both slated to host the Spanish language broadcast of the pageant, also announced that they were pulling out of the telecast, citing their offense to Trump's comments. Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin, who was scheduled to make his first musical performance on mainstream U.S. television, also announced that he would also no longer participate in the event. Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, who was set to judge the pageant, announced she would no longer participate as well.
In a statement by Univision regarding its decision, Falco cited the consideration of the views of its predominately Hispanic broadcast audience and corporate employee base, that "[Univision] see[s] first-hand the work ethic, love for family, strong religious values and the important role Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans have had and will continue to have in building the future of our country." Following the announcement of the company's decision, a lawyer for Trump stated that he is strongly considering taking legal action against Univision Communications for its refusal to carry the Miss USA telecast, alleging it violated the terms of the five-year broadcast and co-production agreement for the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants that Univision signed with the Miss Universe Organization five months earlier on February 5. Trump himself accused the Government of Mexico, among other parties, of "putting tremendous pressure on Univision to break their signed and fully effective contract with the Miss Universe Organization" because of his statements "exposing to the public, and the world, the terrible and costly trade deals that the United States is incompetently making with Mexico".
Univision noted that despite the decision by its entertainment division to terminate its business relationship with the Miss Universe Organization, its news division and owned-and-operated broadcast outlets would continue to provide coverage of Trump and all other presidential candidates during the 2016 presidential campaign "to ensure our audience continues to have access to all points of view". On June 26, Trump notified Falco that Univision employees would no longer be allowed to enter or hold membership with the Trump National Doral Miami golf course, which abuts Univision's corporate headquarters in Doral, Florida. That same day on his Instagram account, Trump also released personal correspondence from Univision anchor Jorge Ramos – containing Ramos' personal work mobile phone number, which was unobscured in the image – requesting an interview with Trump.