Miss Illinois USA

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Shanon Lersch, Miss Illinois USA 2008

The Miss Illinois USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state Illinois in the Miss USA pageant.

Illinois is one of the most successful states in the competition. It is one of only four states to have won four or more Miss USA titles and one of only three states to win two Miss USA titles in consecutive years. All four winners came from the early history of the competition, with their last Miss USA being Karen Morrison, who held the title in 1974. The pageant's most successful years were from 1984-1996, when all but two delegates made the cut at Miss USA. That period was followed by many years without a placement, until Jill Gulseth finished third runner-up in 2005, the state's highest placement since 1995.

In 1986, sisters Tricia and Laura Bach won the title consecutively, the first occasion of this in the history of the Miss Universe organization.^[1] Later on in 1994 Kathleen Farrell, sister of Miss Florida USA 1988 won the title, making the state pageant the first to have two sisters compete in Miss USA.

1 Results summary
- 1.1 Placements
- 1.2 Awards
2 Titleholders
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Results summary

[edit] Placements

Miss USA winners: Myrna Hansen (1953), Marite Ozers (1963), Amanda Jones (1973), Karen Morrison (1974)
Second runners-up: Laura Bach (1985), Nichole Holmes (1995)
Third runners-up: June Pickney (1958), Debra Niego (1979), Jill Gulseth (2005)
Fourth runners-up: Celeste Ravel (1954)
Top 6: Lisa Morgan (1991)
Top 10: LaVonne Misselle (1984), Tricia Bach (1986), Joan Berge (1987), Gina Zordani (1988), Kelly Holub (1989), Bernadette Przybycien (1996)
Top 12: Kathy Schmalen (1976), Carla Myers (1990), Kathleen Farrell (1994)
Top 15: Dianne Daniggelis (1955), Marianne Gaba (1957), Jean Donnelly (1962), Beverly Lacek (1967), Catherine Warren (2005)

[edit] Awards

Miss Photogenic: Elizabeth Curran (1977), Nichole Holmes (1995)
Best State Costume: Kelly Holub (1989)

[edit] Titleholders

Year	Name	Hometown	Age¹	Placement at Miss USA	Special awards at Miss USA	Notes
2008	Shanon Lersch	Chicago	25			Chicago Bulls Luvabull
2007	Mia Heaston	Chicago	25
2006	Catherine Warren	Lake Forest	23	Top 15		Contestant on The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman
2005	Jill Gulseth	Geneva	21	3rd Runner-up
2004	Molly Graham	Montgomery	24
2003	Agnieszka Zakreta	Rolling Meadows	24			Miss Tourism International 1999 as Miss Poland
2002	Amanda Reynolds	Marion	23
2001	Rebecca Ambrosi	Chicago	24
2000	Constance Stoetzer	Abingdon	26
1999	Christina Lam					1st runner up to Mrs America 2007, as Mrs Tennessee, married name Christina Ryan
1998	Mandy Lane
1997	Jennifer Celenas	Chicago	21
1996	Bernadette Przybycien		24	Semi-finalist
1995	Nichole Holmes	Marion	20	2nd runner-up	Miss Photogenic
1994	Kathleen Farrell	Chicago		Semi-finalist		Sister of Miss Florida USA 1988 who was 3rd runner up at Miss USA 1988
1993	Susie Park	Chicago
1992	Leilani Magnussen
1991	Lisa Morgan			Finalist
1990	Carla Myers			Semi-finalist
1989	Kelly Holub	Buffalo Grove		Semi-finalist	Best State Costume award
1988	Gina Zordani	Pelos Heights		Semi-finalist
1987	Joan Berge	Arlington Heights	21	Semi-finalist
1986	Tricia Bach	Elmhurst	22	Semi-finalist		Miss Teen All American 1983, sister of Miss Illinois USA 1985
1985	Laura Bach	Elmhurst		2nd Runner-up		1st runner up at Miss Oktoberfest 1986, sister of Miss Illinois USA 1986
1984	LaVonne Misselle	Chicago	19	Semi-finalist
1983	Vanessa Romine	Rockford
1982	Carla Danielson	Chicago
1981	Leslie Renfrow	Chicago				4th runner up at Miss Oktoberfest 1980
1980	Karen Groat	Princeton	18
1979	Debra Ann Niego			3rd Runner-up		Miss Oktoberfest 1979
1978	Suzanne Piche
1977	Elizabeth Curran				Miss Photogenic
1976	Kathy Schmalen			Semi-finalist
1975	Connie Reif
1974	Karen Morrison	St. Charles		Winner		semifinalist at Miss Universe 1974
1973	Amanda Jones	Evanston		Winner		1st runner up at Miss Universe 1973
1972	Jani Hall
1971	Paulette Breen
1970	Carol Pepoon
1969	Christine Jalloway
1968	Sandra Wolsfeld					Miss World USA 1970, semifinalist in Miss World 1970
1967	Beverly Lacek			Semi-finalist
1966	Cheryl Setser
1965	Diane Gortz
1964	Karen Wiesbrook
1963	Marite Ozers	Kirkland		Winner		semifinalist at Miss Universe 1963, represented Chicago, IL in Miss World USA 1962, did not place.
1962	Jean Donnelly			Semi-finalist
1961	Dianne Duffey
1960	Pat Thompson
1959	Arlene Kaye
1958	June Pickney			3rd Runner-up
1957	Marianne Gaba	Chicago		Semi-finalist		Playboy playmate September 1959
1956	Mickey Blair
1955	Dianne Daniggelis			Semi-finalist
1954	Celeste Ravel			4th Runner-up
1953	Myrna Hansen	Chicago		Winner		1st runner up at Miss Universe 1953
1952	Sherri Matulis