Miss USA 2014
Miss USA 2014, the 63rd Miss USA pageant, was held at the Raising Cane's River Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on June 8, 2014. All fifty states and the District of Columbia competed. The preliminary competition was not webcast live for the first time in five years, but excerpts were distributed post-competition via website Hulu. The final night of competition was televised on NBC.
Erin Brady of Connecticut, crowned her successor Nia Sanchez of Nevada. Sanchez represented the United States on home soil at Miss Universe 2014 and finished 1st Runner-Up.
The date and venue was revealed by Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, and Brady on March 13, 2014, during Today. However, it was reported that the delegates will be staying at the L'Auberge Casino and Hotel in Baton Rouge ahead of this announcement.
For the first time, the final telecast was three hours long, with the additional hour including a look at the top 20 in their home states. The top 20 competed in swimsuits, then eliminated by the judges to a top ten. The top ten competed in evening gown, then judges eliminated to a final five, along with a sixth finalist selected from the remaining contestants in the top ten via a Twitter fan vote.
This was the last Miss USA to be aired on NBC.
Results
§ Voted into Top 6 via TwitterSpecial awards
Pageant
Selection of contestants
One delegate from each state and the District of Columbia was chosen in state pageants held from September 2013 to January 2014.Preliminary round
Prior to the final telecast, the delegates competed in the preliminary competition, which involves private interviews with the judges and a presentation show where they compete in swimsuit and evening gown. The preliminary competition took place on June 6, 2014.Finals
During the final competition, the top twenty competed in swimsuit and evening gown, and the top five competed in the final question signed up by a panel of judges.Order of announcement
Top 20
; First Group; Second Group
; Third Group
; Fourth Group
; Fifth Group
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- Wisconsin
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
Top 10
- Florida
- North Dakota
- Georgia
- Maryland
- California
- South Carolina
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- Nevada
- Louisiana
Top 6
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Nevada
- Florida
- North Dakota
- Iowa
Contestants
| State | Contestant | Hometown | Age | Height | Placement | Notes |
 Alabama | Jesica Warren Ahlberg | Birmingham | 24 | Top 20 | ||
 Alaska | Kendall Bautista | Eagle River | 21 | Later Miss Alaska 2016 | ||
 Arizona | Jordan Wessel | Phoenix | 20 | Top 20 | ||
 Arkansas | Helen Wisner | Fayetteville | 25 | |||
 California | Cassandra Kunze | San Diego | 20 | Top 10 | Miss Photogenic | |
 Colorado | Eleanna Livaditis | Centennial | 25 | |||
 Connecticut | Desirée Pérez | Stamford | 26 | |||
 Delaware | Kelsey Miller | Wilmington | 23 | Previously Miss Delaware Teen USA 2009 | ||
 District of Columbia | Ciera Nicole Butts | Washington, D.C. | 23 | Winner of Last Squad Standing | ||
 Florida | Brittany Oldehoff | Fort Lauderdale | 25 | 4th Runner-Up | Model season 7 of Project Runway Contestant on The Amazing Race 28 with her teammate Jessica Versteeg | |
 Georgia | Tiana Griggs | Monticello | 27 | 2nd Runner Up | ||
 Hawaii | Moani Hara | Honolulu | 24 | Previously Miss Hawaii's Outstanding Teen 2007 | ||
 Idaho | Yvette Bennett | Boise | 23 | |||
 Illinois | Lexi Atkins | Champaign | 21 | Previously Miss Illinois Teen USA 2010 | ||
 Indiana | Mekayla Diehl | Bristol | 25 | Top 20 | Later Mrs. America 2018 | |
 Iowa | Carlyn Bradarich | Iowa City | 23 | 5th Runner-Up | Sister of Miss Illinois USA 2010 Ashley Bradarich Later Miss Illinois World 2015 | |
 Kansas | Audrey Banach | Kansas City | 22 | |||
 Kentucky | Destin Kincer | Whitesburg | 21 | |||
 Louisiana | Brittany Guidry | Houma | 21 | 3rd Runner-Up | Previously Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2009 | |
 Maine | Samantha Dahlborg | Gorham | 20 | |||
 Maryland | Taylor Burton | La Plata | 25 | Top 10 | ||
 Massachusetts | Caroline Lunny | Holliston | 23 | Previously Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 2008 Contestant on season 22 of The Bachelor US, season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise US and season 2 of Bachelor in Paradise Australia | ||
 Michigan | Elizabeth Ivezaj | Macomb | 24 | |||
 Minnesota | Haley O'Brien | Excelsior | 21 | Top 20 | Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2010 | |
 Mississippi | Chelsea Reardon | Southaven | 23 | |||
 Missouri | Erica Sturdefant | Springfield | 23 | Previously Miss Missouri Teen USA 2010 | ||
 Montana | Kadie Latimer | Kalispell | 23 | |||
 Nebraska | Amanda Soltero | Columbus | 22 | Top 20 | Previously Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2010 | |
 Nevada | Nia Sanchez | Las Vegas | 24 | Miss USA 2014 | ||
 New Hampshire | Bridget Brunet | South Hampton | 26 | |||
 New Jersey | Emily Shah | Edison | 19 | Top 20 | ||
 New Mexico | Kamryn Blackwood | Farmington | 22 | |||
 New York | Candace Kendall | Rochester | 25 | Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2006 | ||
 North Carolina | Olivia Olvera | Fayetteville | 26 | |||
 North Dakota | Audra Mari | Fargo | 20 | 1st Runner-Up | Previously Miss North Dakota Teen USA 2011 Later Miss World America 2016 | |
 Ohio | Madison Gesiotto | Massillon | 22 | |||
 Oklahoma | Brooklynne Young | Norman | 19 | Top 20 | ||
 Oregon | Emma Pelett | Portland | 25 | |||
 Pennsylvania | Valerie Gatto | Pittsburgh | 24 | Top 20 | ||
 Rhode Island | Christina Palavra | Providence | 19 | Miss Congeniality | ||
 South Carolina | Christina Zapolski | Charleston | 22 | Top 10 | Reality contestant of Hunted | |
 South Dakota | Brittney Palmer | Brookings | 25 | |||
 Tennessee | Kristy Landers Niedenfuer | Nashville | 22 | Top 20 | Later Miss Louisiana World 2015 | |
 Texas | Lauren Guzman | Laredo | 24 | Previously Miss Texas Teen USA 2008 | ||
 Utah | Angelia Layton | Salt Lake City | 22 | Previously Miss Utah Teen USA 2010 Contestant on ' | ||
 Vermont | Gina Bernasconi | Colchester | 19 | |||
 Virginia | Arielle Rosmarino | Salem | 22 | Top 20 | Later Miss Virginia World 2015 | |
 Washington | Allyson Rowe | Spokane | 25 | |||
 West Virginia | Charisse Haislop | Parkersburg | 24 | |||
 Wisconsin | Bishara Dorre | Milwaukee | 24 | Top 10 | Previously Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 2006 Previously Miss Wisconsin's Outstanding Teen 2007 | |
 Wyoming''' | Lexi Hill | Gillette | 20 |
Judges
Preliminary judges:- Bryce Townsend
- Carole Gist - Miss USA 1990 from Michigan
- Chantal "Taly" Russell
- Elise Zealand
- Fred Nelson
- Janna Ronert
- Jeanne Burns
- Scott Balber
- Rumer Willis
- Allie LaForce - Miss Teen USA 2005 from Ohio
- Bárbara Palacios - Miss Universe 1986 from Venezuela
- Ian Ziering
- Randy Couture
- Melissa Peterman
Background music
- Opening – "Iko Iko," "Take A Ride On A Riverboat," "Home," and "Hey Pocky A-Way" by Marc Broussard featuring Dirty Dozen Brass Band Horns
- Swimsuit Competition – "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly
- Evening Gown Competition – "Decidiste dejarme" and "Tu tiempo ya se fue" by Camila
- Top 6 Final Look – "This Is How We Roll" by Florida Georgia Line
Historical significance
- Nevada wins competition for the first time and surpasses its previous highest placement in 1977. Also becoming in the 33rd state who does it for the first time.
- North Dakota earns the 1st runner-up position for the first time, surpassing its previous highest placement in 1966 and reaches its highest placement ever in the pageant.
- Georgia earns the 2nd runner-up position for the fifth time and repeats its highest placement from the last time 2006.
- Louisiana earns the 3rd runner-up position for the fifth time and reaches its highest placement since Ali Landry won in 1996. This was last placed in 1989.
- Florida earns the 4th runner-up position for the fifth time and repeats its highest placement from the last time 2006.
- Iowa earns the 5th runner-up position for the first time and reaches its highest placement in 58 years, since the win by Carol Morris in 1956. Incidentally, Morris went on to become the second woman from the USA to win the Miss Universe title in 1956.
- States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Alabama, California, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
- Alabama placed for the fifth consecutive year.
- Maryland and South Carolina placed for the fourth consecutive year.
- Louisiana and Nevada placed for the third consecutive year.
- California and Pennsylvania made their second consecutive placement.
- Georgia, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee last placed in 2012.
- Arizona, Florida, and Indiana last placed in 2011.
- Nebraska and Virginia last placed in 2010.
- Minnesota last placed in 2009.
- Wisconsin last placed in 2007.
- Iowa last placed in 2000.
- North Dakota last placed in 1996.
- Ohio breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 2012.
- Texas breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 2011.
- This is the third year in a row a state wins its first Miss USA title, including Olivia Culpo's win in 2012.
- Audra Mari of North Dakota becomes the first person to finish 1st Runner-Up at both Miss Teen USA and Miss USA. She is only eclipsed in both national pageants by Shauna Gambill and Alyssa Campanella.
International broadcasters
Television
- United States: NBC
- Africa: DSTV Mzansi Magic
- Asia: Star World