The Miss North Carolina USA 2023 coronation night will be held at the High Point Theatre in High Point, Guilford County, North Carolina, United States on February 25, 2023. It is the 72nd edition of the state-level beauty pageant that selects North Carolina’s candidate for Miss USA, which selects the Miss Universe candidate of the U.S.

Currently, North Carolina has 20 Miss USA placements including the coronation of Chelsea Cooley in 2005, Kristen Dalton in 2009 and the late Cheslie Kryst in 2019. Representing the state, Caelynn Miller-Keyes was runner-up to Miss USA 2018 Sarah Rose Summers and Morgan Romano was runner-up to Miss USA 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel.

Morgan was crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2022 on January 29, 2022. She became Miss USA 2022 after Gabriel was crowned Miss Universe 2022.

There are 70 women competing for the Miss North Carolina 2023 crown. If facial beauty is the only criterion, these will be my Top 13 candidates:

#13. Jordyn McKey (Uptown)

#12. Emma Knapp (City of Oaks)

#11. Hadleigh Seely (Mecklenburg)

#10. Kristin Coleman (Ardennes)

#9. Siera Bergeron (Cornelius)

#8. Jasmine Baker (Orange County)

#7. Jarin Simmons (Charlotte)

#6. Chandler McBride (Greensboro)

#5. Scarlett Freeman (Capital City)

#4. Celia Stafford (Pittsboro)

#3. Lyndsey Locklear (North Raleigh)

#2. Awel Bol (Greater Greensboro)

#1. Serenity Edwards (Fourth Ward)