Miss USA 2021 Elle Smith, 23, of Germantown, Kentucky, United States will crown her successor in 2022. It will be the 71st edition of the national beauty pageant that selects the Miss Universe candidate of the U.S.

Miss Universe is one of the six grand slam international female beauty pageants. The others are Miss World, Miss International, Miss Earth, Miss Supranational and Miss Grand International.

Smith was crowned Miss USA 2021 at the Paradise Cove Theater of the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA on November 29, 2021. On December 12, 2021, she represented the U.S. at Miss Universe 2021 in Eilat, Israel and finished in the Top 10.

As of May 30, 2022, 43of the 51 Miss USA 2022 candidates have been crowned in their respective states. If facial beauty is the only criterion, these will be my Top 16 candidates:

(This is an ongoing list. It will be updated regularly.)

#16. Elaine Collado (Rhode Island)

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#15. Camila Sacco (New Hampshire)

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#14. Taylor Fulford (Florida)

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#13. Randi Estabrook (Iowa)

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#12. Isabel Ticlo (Arizona)

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#11. Grace Lange (Delaware)

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#10. Natalie Pieper (Nebraska)

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#9. Kelsey Golonka (Vermont)

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#8. Hollis Brown (Washington)

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#7. Summer Keffeler (Nevada)

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#6. Heather Lee O’Keefe (Montana)

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#5. Cynthia Moura Dias (Connecticut)

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#4. Angel Reyes (Illinois)

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#3. Elizabeth Kervin (Maine)

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#2. Rylie Wagner (Arkansas)

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#1. Billie LaRaé Owens (Pennsylvania)