The Miss West Virginia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss USA pageant. This pageant is independently conducted and produced by Empower2 Productions LLC. and is formerly directed by Sanders & Associates, Inc., dba- Pageant Associates based in Buckhannon, West Virginia.
Although West Virginia has not produced a Miss USA titleholder, four West Virginian delegates have placed: Kristen Morrison in 2005, Jessi Pierson in 2009, Chelsea Welch in 2013, and Nichole Greene in 2016. Their most recent placement was Krystian Leonard who placed in the Top 16 in 2022.
Four Miss West Virginia USAs have held the Miss West Virginia Teen USA title and competed at Miss Teen USA, and two have competed at Miss America.
Alanna Lynch of West Liberty was crowned Miss West Virginia USA 2026 on June 13, 2026 at The Culture Center • West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston. She will represent West Virginia for the title of Miss USA 2026.
Gallery of titleholders
Results summary Placements 1st runners-up: Ruth Parr (1957), Kelly Anderson (1984) Top 10/11: Paula Morrison (1987), Jessi Pierson (2009) Top 15/16: Wilda Estep (1959), Garnett Pugh (1960), Kathy McManaway (1961), Kristin Morrison (2005), Chelsea Welch (2013), Nichole Greene (2016), Krystian Leonard (2022) West Virginia holds a record of 11 placements at Miss USA.
Awards Miss Photogenic: Jessi Pierson (2009)
Winners
Year Name HometownAge Local title Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes 2026 Alanna Lynch West Liberty 25 Miss West Liberty 2025 Erin Wellman Princeton 24 Miss Barboursville Fall Festival 2024 Caylie Simmons Franklin 24 Miss Three Rivers Festival 2023 Nevaeh Harmon Charleston 21 Miss Charleston 2022 Krystian Leonard Morgantown 25 Miss Monongalia County Top 16 2021 Alexis Bland Parkersburg 22 Miss Parkersburg 2020 Charlotte Bellotte Charles Town 25 Longest reigning Miss West Virginia USA () 2019 Haley Holloway Morgantown 23 Previously Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2013 2nd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2013 Previously Miss West Virginia United States 2015 1st runner-up at Miss United States 2015 2018 Casey Lassiter Spencer 21 2017 Lauren Roush Mason 21 Cast member of Are You the One? Later Miss Pennsylvania World 2019 Top 10 at Miss World America 2019 2016 Nichole Greene Nitro 24 Top 15 2015 Andrea Mucino Morgantown 23 2014 Charisse Haislop Parkersburg 242013 Chelsea WelchWest Union 22 Top 15Previously Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2007 4th runner-up to Miss Teen USA 2007 2012 Andrea Rogers Martinsburg 24 2011 Whitney Veach Petersburg 24 Previously Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2003 2010 Erica Jade Goldsmith Mineral Wells 23 2009 Jessi Pierson Milton 21 Top 10 Miss Photogenic 2008 Skylene Montgomery Parkersburg Ms. West Virginia United States 2006 2007 Kasey Montgomery Petersburg 23 2006 Jessica Wedge Evans 22 2005 Kristin Morrison Ripley 24 Top 15 Current titleholder manager of the Miss West Virginia USA and Miss West Virginia Teen USA pageants under her married name, Kristin Flowers 2004 Carolyn Jennings Morgantown 21 2003 Amy Thomason Buckhannon 2002 Angela Davenport Montgomery 2001 Karen Long Barboursville Winner of Miss Oktoberfest 2001; Auditioned for Season 1 of American Idol 2000 Tara Wilson Sistersville 1999 Amanda Burns Previously Miss West Virginia Teen USA 1997 Later Mrs. West Virginia America 2004 under her married name, Amanda Duffy 1998 Susan BoothCharleston 1997 Natalie Bevins Parkersburg 1996 Regina Fisher Glenville 1995 Tracy Holcomb 1994 Linda Bailey Charleston 1993 Jennifer Johnson Huntington 1992 Vickie Myers Parkersburg 1991 Krista Ransbottom Huntington 1990 Sabrina Anderson Hinton 1989 Kathy Eicher Huntington Mother of Nadia Mejia, Miss California USA 2016, and married to Gerardo Mejia 1988 Cathy Fowler Huntington 1987 Paula Morrison Barboursville 22 Semi-finalist Semifinalist at Miss International 1987 1986 Shonna Lyons Parkersburg 1985 Lorre Lewis Barboursville 1984 Kelly Anderson Clarksburg 23 1st runner-up Previously Miss West Virginia 1982 Top 5 finalist at Miss World 1984 1983 Jill Rigsby Huntington 1982 Cindy Baniak Star City 1981 Kelly Carr 1980 Linda Hedrick Wiley Ford 1979 Candice (Candy) BoggsKeyser 21 1978 Deborah Davis Later Miss West Virginia 1979 1977 Pat Brown Shepherdstown 1976 Cheryl Plants Winfield 1975 Joyce Myers Wheeling 1974 Kim Nuzum Wheeling 1973 Kathy Rowand Pinch 1972 Diane McCutcheon Wheeling 1971 Peggy Tennant Clarksburg 1970 Sharon Alberti Weirton 1969 Betty Grimmer Wheeling 1968 Patricia "Pat" Coyne Wheeling 1967 Pamela Young 1966 Annette Peery 1964-1965 Did Not Compete 1963 Nina Lou Denton 1962 Nicki Galais 1961 Kathy McManaway Semi-finalist 1960 Garnett Pugh Semi-finalist 1959 Wilda Estep Semi-finalist 1958 Mary Guthrie 1957 Ruth Parr 1st runner-up She finished as 2nd runner-up, but succeeded as 1st runner-up when the 1st runner-up assumed the title as Miss USA after the title was taken away from the winner. 1956 Janet Cardi 1955 Barbara Tucker 1954 Sandra Waggy Charleston 1953 Fay Higley 1952 Did Not Compete
References
External links