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See the full story · 3 sourcesA new Miss USA will be crowned on August 27, 2026. Courtesy of Miss USA
The 75th annual Miss USA pageant will take place in Miami on August 27.
The pageant will stream live on the Queen Beauty Network at 8 p.m. ET.
Meet the 51 women competing, from a fashion designer to a flight attendant.
Miss USA 2026 is coming.
On August 27, 51 women will take the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami to compete for the title. Miss USA 2025 Audrey Eckert will crown the winner.
The final will feature swimwear, evening wear, and interview rounds. It was meant to air live on The CW , along with the Miss Teen USA finals the night before, but on Thursday, the network confirmed to Business Insider that both pageant events were no longer on its broadcast schedule. Instead, the Miss USA final will be available to watch live on the Queen Beauty Network, a streaming platform focused on the pageant industry, at 8 p.m. ET.
The 2026 contestants include a fashion designer, an ICU nurse, a transmission engineer, and more. Read on to get to know them.
Alabama: Samantha Havenstrite
Miss Alabama 2026 Samantha Havenstrite. Courtesy of Miss USA
Samantha Havenstrite, 27, is a pageant queen who loves adventure. According to her Miss USA bio, she was one of the youngest people to climb to the top of Mount Rushmore. She has also traveled to more than 40 states and jumped out of an airplane from 12,000 feet.
Havenstrite became an advocate for cancer awareness after losing her mother to the disease in 2020. She is also a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Alaska: Holly Huber
Miss Alaska 2026 Holly Huber. Courtesy of Miss USA
Holly Huber, 26, is using her Miss USA platform to advocate for suicide prevention. Huber serves on the board of directors for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and has received a congressional honor for her ongoing work, according to her Miss USA bio.
Huber loves to read in her free time, finishing anywhere from six to 10 books a month. And the Alaska native comes from a large family with 10 siblings.
Arizona: Kaitlyn Humphrey
Miss Arizona 2026 Kaitlyn Humphrey. Courtesy of Miss USA
Kaitlyn Humphrey, 23, has a degree in journalism and mass communications from Arizona State University. She works as a full-time content creator and has partnered with Fenty Beauty, L'Oréal , and Charlotte Tilbury.
Humphrey grew up performing and has auditioned for "American Idol." She was also an opening act for country singer Lee Brice.
Arkansas: Anna Claire Hay
Miss Arkansas 2026 Anna Claire Hay. Courtesy of Miss USA
Anna Claire Hay, 23, graduated from the University of Arkansas and is planning to go to medical school after competing at Miss USA, according to her bio. She is a nonprofit founder and avid volunteer, having raised over $30,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. The pageant queen recently partnered with Tyson Foods and Sam's Club to help feed 600 people and provide 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to those in need.
Hay was Miss Arkansas Teen 2020 and reached the top 16 at Miss Teen USA 2020.
California: Acacia McBride
Miss California 2026 Acacia McBride. Courtesy of Miss USA
Acacia McBride, 28, is the founder of Chauf, a luxury transportation company. McBride also works as a professional model and has collaborated with brands including Sephora and L'Oréal.
According to her Miss USA bio, McBride likes to call herself "Martha 2.0," after Martha Stewart . She met the lifestyle maven when they were both featured in Sports Illustrated .
Colorado: Jordyn Owen
Miss Colorado 2026 Jordyn Owen Courtesy of Miss USA
Jordyn Owen, 30, has a master's degree in athletic training and has treated professional stunt performers. She also mentors young girls through the education nonprofit Girls Inc.
According to her Miss USA bio, Owen's life changed when she participated in an international student ambassador program. It helped Owen see the world past her small town — which has nearly as many horses and cows as it does people — and changed the way she saw herself.
Connecticut: Jaeden Hamelly
Miss Connecticut 2026 Jaeden Hamelly. Courtesy of Miss USA
Jaeden Hamelly, 30, has a master's degree in social work. According to her Miss USA bio, the pageant queen lost over 100 pounds to achieve her dream of joining the US Army , where she is a staff sergeant and combat medic.
Hamelly has 11 siblings, seven of whom were adopted through foster care. She is using her Miss USA platform to advocate for mental health education in the military .
Delaware: Julia Hatoum
Miss Delaware 2026 Julia Hatoum. Courtesy of Miss USA
Julia Hatoum, 24, has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware, where she was student body president and graduated with triple minors.
Hatoum now works as a transmission engineer, managing the maintenance of power grids across Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. She is using her Miss USA platform to advocate for underrepresented students in STEM programs.
The pageant queen has walked at New York Fashion Week and the Library of Congress' first-ever fashion show.
District of Columbia: Kennedy Lucas
Miss District of Columbia 2026 Kennedy Lucas. Courtesy of Miss USA
Kennedy Lucas, 28, has a bachelor's degree and an MBA from Hampton University, where she was a majorette. Lucas won the Miss Black USA pageant in 2024.
Lucas works as a project manager and has her own apparel brand. She also launched Built From Within, an initiative to make wellness accessible to women.
According to her Miss USA bio, the pageant queen is a huge fan of Disney World and has visited the theme park more than 20 times.
Florida: Aileen Cerchiara
Miss Florida 2026 Aileen Cerchiara. Courtesy of Miss USA
Aileen Cerchiara, 26, was inspired to become a registered nurse after watching her father undergo cancer treatment when she was a child. She began her medical career on the front lines of the COVID-1...
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