The Miss Illinois Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Illinois in the Miss Teen USA pageant. It is directed by Vanbros and Associates and is previously directed by D&D Productions from 2001 to 2014 before becoming part of Vanbros organization in 2014, headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas.
Illinois is in the top fifteen states in terms of number and value of placements over the twenty-three years of the Miss Teen USA competition. Illinois ties with Florida and North Carolina for the most Miss Photogenic awards won at Miss Teen USA (3) and has won more awards than any other state. Like the Miss USA Pageant, Illinois went on to win the Miss Teen USA title in the second edition of the pageant.
Ten Illinois teens have competed at Miss USA, six as Miss Illinois USA title. The first was Cherise Haugen, Illinois' only Miss Teen USA, who competed as Miss Teen USA at the 1984 pageant (the first few Miss Teen USAs were given this opportunity). Later three more would compete at the Miss USA pageant, two representing Vanbros states: Terri Bollinger represented Missouri in 1999 and Anne-Marie Dixon Oklahoma in 1998 and Lacey Wilson Massachusetts in 2010. Vanbros is a pageant production company that owns the Miss Teen USA franchises for, and produces and directs, several state pageants in the Midwest. The Miss Illinois Teen USA Pageant has been the single largest official state preliminary competition with over 150 contestants every year since at least 2002 and has always ranked among the top ten largest state preliminary pageants.
Scarlet Mcllrath of Bureau was crowned Miss Illinois Teen USA 2026 on May 24, 2026, at Braden Auditorium in Normal. She will represent Illinois at Miss Teen USA 2026.
Results summary Placements Miss Teen USA: Cherise Haugen (1984) First runners-up: Autumn Waterbury (1997), Lexi Atkins (2010) Third runners-up: Kathleen McClellan (1988), Kelly Cruse (2005), Sydni Dion Bennett (2018) Top 6: Anne-Marie Dixon (1995) Top 10: Lisa Jessen (1985), Nicole Manske (1998) Top 12: Julee Kleffman (1992) Top 15: Victoria Davis (2007), Olivia Pura (2016), A’Maiya Allen (2019) Top 16: Alexandra Plotz (2012) Top 20: Vivica Lewandowski (2023) Illinois holds a record of 15 placements at Miss Teen USA.
Awards Miss Photogenic: Linda Burkholder (1983), Lisa Jessen (1985), Kathleen McClellan (1988)
Winners
Year Name HometownAge1 Local title Placement at Miss Teen USA Special awards at Miss Teen USA Notes 2026 Scarlet Mcllrath Bureau 18 Miss Arlington Teen 2025 Sophia Xia Chicago 19 Miss Lake County Teen 2024 Arianna Thompson Mahomet 17 Miss Central Illinois Teen Top 10 2023 Vivica Lewandowski Chicago 18 Miss Gold Coast Teen Top 20 Daughter of Mandy Lane Lewandowski, Miss Illinois USA 1998 Later Miss Illinois USA 2026 2022 Dawn Parks Chicago 18 Miss Cook County Teen 2021 Gissell Bahena Chicago 17 Miss Chicago Midwest Teen 2020 Victoria Blair Rhemrev Long Grove 17 Miss North Shore Teen First Asian American Miss Illinois Teen USA 2019 A’Maiya Allen Bolingbrook 18 Miss Greater Bolingbrook Teen Top 15 2018 Sydni Dion Bennett Algonquin 16 Miss Chicago Teen 3rd Runner-Up First African American Miss Illinois Teen USA; Later Miss Illinois USA 2021 3rd runner-up at Miss USA 2021 2017 Olivia Bohleber Carmi 18 Miss White County Teen 2016 Olivia Natalia Pura Deer Park 17 Miss Deer Park Teen Top 15 Later Miss Illinois USA 2020 Top 10 at Miss USA 2020 2015 Megan Riesner Plainfield 18 Miss Will County Teen 2014 Miranda Fenzau Chicago 17 2013 Grayson Hodgkiss Downers Grove 16 2012 Alexandra Marie "Alex" Plotz Geneva 17 Top 16 Later Miss Illinois USA 2019 2011 Paige Higgerson Cutler 19 2010 Alexis "Lexi" Atkins Champaign 18 1st runner-up Later Miss Illinois USA 2014 2009 Stacie Lauren Juris Tinley Park 18 Later Miss Illinois USA 2013 2nd runner-up at Miss USA 2013 2008 Nora Downs Chicago 16 2007 Victoria Davis Thawville 18 Top 15 2006 Ceitlyn Glenn Effingham 17 2005 Kelly Cruse Marion 17 3rd runner-up 2004 Brittany Acosta Warrenville 16 2003 Tiffiney McCormick Streator 18 2002 Lacey Wilson Hinsdale 17 Later Miss Massachusetts USA 2010 2001 Brittany Richmond Bristol 17 Miss Bristol Teen 2000 Kimberly "Kim" Williamson Goodfield 18 First runner-up at Miss Illinois Teen USA 1999 Died on December 27, 2004 1999 Amber Elizabeth Dusak Antioch 18 1998 Nicole DeAnn Manske Roscoe 18 Semi-finalist ESPN personality and wife of Australian INDYCAR driver Ryan Briscoe. 1997 Autumn Nicole Waterbury Marion 18 1st runner-up 1996 Eisa Istok Elgin 18 1995 Anne-Marie Dixon Highland 17 Top 6 Later Miss Oklahoma USA 1998 1994 Charlotte Ann Martin Charleston 18 1993 Jaime Lyn Holbrook Cave-In-Rock 16 1992 Julee Kleffman Hoffman Estates 18 Semi-finalist 1991 Kara Kline Champaign 15 1990 Teri Bollinger Dupo 18 Later Miss Missouri USA 1999 1989 Kimberly "Kim" Hannell Chicago 18 1988 Kathleen "Kathy" McClellan Duncan 18 3rd runner-up 1987 Danielle Reese Riverwoods 16 1986 Dyann Lowery Sandwich 17 Later fourth runner-up at Miss Illinois USA 1988 1985 Lisa Jessen Macomb 17 Semi-finalist Miss Photogenic 1984 Cherise Haugen Sleepy Hollow 17 Miss Teen USA 1984 Best State Costume Non-finalist at Miss USA 1984 1983 Linda Burkholder Lansing 17 Miss Lansing Teen Miss Photogenic 1 Age at the time of the Miss Teen USA pageant
References
External links Official website