Miss America 2022 Photos: Gorgeous Contestants, Epic Dresses, The Crowning Moment & More

By:

Christina Casiano, Chris Rogers

December 17, 2021 11:05AM EST

After a two-year break due to COVID-19, Miss America returned on Dec. 16, 2021. But this time around it streamed live on Peacock — see the photos!

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Miss America 2022

Miss America 2022 — Crowning glory! Miss America was back for its 100th annual pagaent on Dec. 16 2021, returning for the first time since 2019. Though it was a big occasion, Miss America wasn’t showcased on network TV. Instead, the annual event, which took place at the Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, was streamed live on Peacock.

It was the first time in the pageant’s history it was available only via a streaming service. The event included 51 women from across the U.S. And the 2021 event marked a return after a two-year delay due to COVID-19. The top 10 contestants were: New York, Alaska, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Utah and Texas.

Here, Miss Alabama Lauren Bradford is announced as a top 10 finalist in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Click through to see more photos of Miss America and who was crowned the winner.

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Miss Alaska Emma Broyles Wins Miss America 2022

Miss Alaska Emma Broyles Wins Miss America 2022 — Former Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier crowns Miss Alaska Emma Broyles as the new 2022 Miss America at the 100th annual Miss America Competition on Dec. 16, 2021.

Emma, 20, impressed the judges during her interview segments, where she opened up her struggles with ADHD and dermatillomania, a form of OCD that involves chronic skin-picking. “One thing that I’ve really tried to do, especially as Miss Alaska, is show people that I’m real. I have flaws,” she said.

Emma was also an early favorite after earning a prize for her social impact initiative supporting the Special Olympics. She performed the song “Let Me Be Your Star” from ‘Smash’ for the talent portion of the show.

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Miss Texas Mallory Fuller Announced As Top 10 Finalist

Miss Texas Mallory Fuller Announced As Top 10 Finalist — Miss Texas Mallory Fuller is announced as a top 10 finalist in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. As you can see, she got a lot of support from her competitors.

Miss Alabama Lauren Bradford was first runner-up, while second runner-up was Elizabeth Pierre of Massachusetts, third runner-up was Sydney Park of New York, and fourth runner-up was Abigail Hayes of Oregon.

The representatives from Illinois, District of Columbia, Florida, Utah and Texas rounded out the top 10.

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Miss Hawaii Courtney Choy

Miss Hawaii Courtney Choy — Miss Hawaii Courtney Choy approached the microphone during the 2021 Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16. She wore a gorgeous red gown.

Before the event Courtney said she was most excited to bond with her pageant “sisters”. She told the publication Midweek Kauai, “I just want to be with my Miss America sisters because there’s no other bond that you can find. There’s a statistic that you’re less likely to have a daughter compete at Miss America than you are to have a son in the Super Bowl, so I think that’s pretty cool that I can be a part of that statistic now. I’m just happy to be there and to be a part of 100 years of women empowerment, service and leadership.”

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Miss Wyoming Mikkayla DeBolt

Miss Wyoming Mikkayla DeBolt — Miss Wyoming Mikkayla DeBolt in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2011. As she stands behind the mic, she flashes a huge smile on her face.

Mikkayla said she was proud to be representing the Cowboy State after winning her crown in Jul. 2021. She told Wyoming News Now, “I just want to represent Wyoming the best way that I know how. I’ve grown up here. It’s been my home for the past 22 years. And it’s really close to my heart and I just want to have people’s minds changed about Wyoming.”

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Miss North Carolina Carli Batson

Miss North Carolina Carli Batson — Miss North Carolina Carli Batson rocked a gorgeous white gown during the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She also had her hair in a cute bob style.

“It feels really cool to be part of something that’s going to end up being part of history,” Batson told the Wilmington StarNews ahead of the competition.

She also told her local ABC affiliate Channel 11 about how competing empowered her financially, helping her to pay for college without loans. “I would say just look at me,” Batson said. “I come from a blue-collar shift-working family. I’m going to be a first-generation college graduate. We don’t come from much but anyone can get up there and anyone can pursue opportunities for scholarship, even if it’s in a pageant kind of competition.”

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Miss Maryland Lydia Sohn

Miss Maryland Lydia Sohn — Miss Maryland Lydia Sohn in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut. As she spoke to the judges, she rocked a blue dress with a super high slit up her leg.

Lydia is a student at Johns Hopkins University, Peabody Conservatory, and Georgetown University, who is majoring in B.S. molecular and cellular biology. She told AL.com about her career goals, saying, “As a current ensign in the United States Navy and future medical student at Des Moines University, I will become a navy doctor.

“I am eager to serve the individuals who sacrifice daily to serve our nation. I also aim to join the Navy’s Humanitarian Missions to aid our world’s most vulnerable populations.”

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Miss South Carolina Julia Herrin

Miss South Carolina Julia Herrin — Miss South Carolina Julia Herrin competed in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She wore an epic black dress with a thigh-high slit. She looked extremely happy to be up on stage.

She is a staunch advocate for body positivity, telling Blufton Today, how social media affects the mental health of youth today. “I began viewing all of their photoshopped and manipulated images, but to a 12- and 13-year-old girl that’s what I thought I had to look like, that’s what I thought I had to be like. So comparing myself to that, I believed that I was no good, that I wasn’t worth anything,” she said.

She said the Miss America pageant helped her think beyond the surface level, telling the publication, “The Miss America organization gave me that through service. It allowed me to launch real not perfect and now to talk to over 7,000 individuals so far on what real not perfect is,” she said. “How you are valuable and you are worthy just as you are and that no social media followers, no social media fame, no crown will ever make you more worthy or more loved than you are in this moment.”

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Miss Ohio Lora Current

Miss Ohio Lora Current — Miss Ohio Lora Current slayed at the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. As you can see, she wore a red gown with ostrich feathers.

Lora was “proud” to represent her state, telling the Urbana Daily Citizen, “It’s very exciting. Just being able to go and represent Ohio is just such an honor. It’s the community that raised me and made me who I am, so now, in a small way, I’m able to give back just by representing them and kind of showing what a small town in Ohio has to offer and what this community has to offer and how it really is a family.”

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Miss Georgia Karson Pennington

Miss Georgia Karson Pennington — Miss Georgia Karson Pennington waved to the judges during the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She was thrilled to compete.

Karson talked to the Augusta Chronicle in June after winning the state crown. “This has been a dream of mine for so many years,” she said. “I don’t know that I would have had the confidence to do this and that will stick with me for the rest of my life.”

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Miss New York Sydney Park

Miss New York Sydney Park — Miss New York Sydney Park wowed the judges at the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She wore a gold dress and looked phenomenal.

Sydney earned her B.A. in American studies from Columbia University in 2018 and is set to graduate from Fordham Law School with a J.D. in 2022. She told AL.com, “After graduating, I cannot wait to begin my career as a lawyer and hope one day to be a partner at my firm.”

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Miss Washington Maddie Louder

Miss Washington Maddie Louder — Miss Washington Maddie Louder commanded the stage during the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. As you can see she exuded confidence.

She is an outspoken mental health advocate who is an eating disorder survivor. She told her local YakTriNews.com her message for younger generations is, “The number on the scale does not define their worth or their value as a human being. And they are worthy of so much more.”

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Miss Pennsylvania Meghan Sinisi

Miss Pennsylvania Meghan Sinisi — Miss Pennsylvania Meghan Sinisi flashed a smile for the judges during the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT on Dec. 16, 2021. She wore a dress with a high-slit, like many of her competitors.

Meghan dismissed some misconceptions about pageants with her local Centre Daily News Times. “People have this common misconception, in general, of women, that we compete and we can’t get along,” she said. “Growing up with brothers, I wasn’t in a lot of spaces with a lot of women. So when I started to get involved in baton twirling, that taught me how to have a community of women who have a like-minded goal.”

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Miss Delaware Sophie Phillips

Miss Delaware Sophie Phillips — Miss Delaware Sophie Phillips rocked a bright blue dress in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She radiated beauty.

Sophie told her local NBC affiliate about the responsibility that comes with her title ahead of the competition. “When you’re a titleholder, you have a voice for the first time to use to raise up others voices, and that’s what I want to do,” Phillips said.

She added, “The community service projects that I’m doing and all these other women are doing are literally changing lives. If there’s a time that Miss America needs to be around and needs to be visual, it’s now.”

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Miss Massachusetts Elizabeth Pierre

Miss Massachusetts Elizabeth Pierre — Miss Massachusetts Elizabeth Pierre looked amazing in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She wore a red strapless dress and really looked like she was having fun on stage.

During the competition, she performed a contemporary dance routine. In her speeches, she advocated for lowering the voting age to 16 on a platform called “We Hear You: Empowering Youth Voices.” The graduate of Boston College plans to become a licensed clinical social worker working with youth and families.

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Miss Illinois Isabelle Hanson

Miss Illinois Isabelle Hanson — Miss Illinois Isabelle Hanson looked ready for a wedding during the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She wore a long white dress, as though she was a bride on her wedding day.

She oozed excitement ahead of the competition telling her local KFVS News, “Oh, my gosh, I am so excited. It’s, it’s crazy and surreal. We’re all so happy to be here and it’s hard to believe the 100th Anniversary Miss America will earn her job tonight. Uh, so it’s beyond words. I get chills just thinking about that moment.”

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Miss Nebraska Morgan Holen

Miss Nebraska Morgan Holen — Miss Nebraska Morgan Holen also wore a red strapless dress in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She was seen answering a question asked by one of the judges.

Morgan’s mother was also once Miss Nebraska. Talking about her legacy with Edge Magazine, Morgan said, “It is indescribable. I’ve wanted this since I was 3 years old.” She also t “It’s really an honor. My mom and I are both so passionate about the Miss America and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen organization. To be able to say we were both representatives of it feels incredible.”

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Miss Iowa Grace Lynn Keller

Miss Iowa Grace Lynn Keller — Miss Iowa Grace Lynn Keller wore a satin orange gown in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec 16, 2021. Her dress also featured a cape off her shoulder.

Grace Lynn said she was impressed by Miss America’s move to go all-streaming, telling OurQuadCities.com, “Being able to stream is an easier way to reach a younger audience and cable is the way to reach an older audience.”

“But as they’ve been rebranding Miss America and moving towards this 100th year, I think it is a smart move to be able to stream. They are trying to reach younger people and sharing about the scholarship and service opportunities within the program. So I think it’s a smart move.”

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Miss Montana Jessica Criss

Miss Montana Jessica Criss — Miss Montana Jessica Criss rocked a black dress with a low-plunging neckline in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec 16, 2021. What a sight!

Jessica has a degree from Montana State University in Animal Science with an Equine Concentration. She hopes to one day “own and operate a therapeutic riding facility, using horses as a therapy tool to help people grow and heal.”

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Miss Vermont Danielle Morse

Miss Vermont Danielle Morse — Miss Vermont Danielle Morse smiled on stage in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She wore a gorgeous blue dress.

The firefighter and nurse told her local ABC, “To be able to fall into that category class that’s representing the 100th year of a Miss America, is just amazing and I just don’t think I’ve wrapped my head around it quite yet.”

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Miss District of Columbia Andolyn Medina

Miss District of Columbia Andolyn Medina — Miss District of Columbia Andolyn Medina wore a gorgeous black dress in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. She smiled for the judges.

Andolyn has quite the resume. She in the U.S. Navy, a doctoral candidate in psychology at George Washington University, has two master’s degrees in forensic and clinical psychology, and is a practicing therapist in Washington, D.C.

She revealed her very personal reasons for jumping into the mental health field. She told WJLA, “After my father was deployed in Iraq, he was diagnosed with a mild case of PTSD and I would say that was also the first thing that started to get me really interested not only about psych but about military psych because I realized people can see the physical toll it takes to be in the military but they often don’t see the mental toll it takes on not just the service member but the service members family.”

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Miss Idaho Ayriss Torres

Miss Idaho Ayriss Torres — Miss Idaho Ayriss Torres dazzled in the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut on Dec. 16, 2021. As you can see, she wore a purple dress.

Ayriss is an active duty member of the military. She is an advocate for financial literacy, telling the Idaho State Journal, “”Financial education isn’t taught in the U.S. and it’s a huge topic to me… The earlier you learn financial lessons the better, especially when it comes to credit and money and lending. I’m just hoping people will be able to hear that from me and know that it’s not necessarily coming from Miss Idaho, it’s just coming from someone who cares.”

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