The Miss USA 2026 coronation ceremony will be held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, United States on August 27, 2026. Hosted by Kenya Moore and Ian Ziering, the show will be aired on iWant TV and Queen Beauty Network.
This marks the 75th edition of the national beauty pageant that selects the Miss Universe candidate of the country. The reigning queen is Audrey Eckert, who was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Miss USA 2026 contestants
As per tradition, the 50 states and the capital city of the U.S. are represented in the 75th Miss USA edition. Here are the candidates:
- Samantha Robinson Havenstrite, 27, Alabama
- Holly Helena Huber, 26, Alaska
- Kaitlyn Humphrey, 23, Arizona
- Anna Claire Hay, 23, Arkansas
- Acacia McBride, 28, California
- Jordyn Owen, 30, Colorado
- Jaeden Hamelly, 30, Connecticut
- Julia Hatoum, 24, Delaware
- Kennedy Lucas, 28, District of Columbia
- Aileen Cerchiara, 26, Florida
- Jade Kircus, 36, Georgia
- Darja Bassut, 23, Hawaii
- Katie Tetreault, 30, Idaho
- Vivica Lewandowski, 21, Illinois
- Eniolá Oke, 22, Indiana
- Madeline Erickson, 22, Iowa
- Madilynn Becker, 22, Kansas
- Brijet Finister, 36, Kentucky
- Ella Clark, 24, Louisiana
- Mykala Green, 25, Maine
- Holly Plank, 35, Maryland
- Kayshauna Montaño, 28, Massachusetts
- Amber Uhler, 41, Michigan
- Rachel Betterley, 35, Minnesota
- Victoria Cantu, 27, Mississippi
- Madison Beck, 21, Missouri
- Lisbeth Fernández, 28, Montana
- Emily Lenser, 25, Nebraska
- Natalie Bode, 27, Nevada
- Samantha LaBonne, 34, New Hampshire
- Katarina Lengyel, 25, New Jersey
- Cara Rgnonti, 26, New Mexico
- Jenna Dykstra, 30, New York
- Myla Hadley, 24, North Carolina
- Sophia Richards, 25, North Dakota
- Kayelin Tiggs, 34, Ohio
- Annamaria Thomas, 22, Oklahoma
- Claire Wildey, 24, Oregon
- Elizabeth Voight, 26, Pennsylvania
- Victoria Cuartas, 33, Rhode Island
- Victoria Vesce, 33, South Carolina
- Lexus Paulson, 28, South Dakota
- Sydney Grace Young, 26, Tennessee
- Alexis Fuetsch, 20, Texas
- Alayzia Christopher, 30, Utah
- Katherine McQuade, 31, Vermont
- Justus Kelley, 29, Virginia
- Ellise Kakazu, 35, Washington
- Alanna Lynch, 25, West Virginia
- Olivia Lulich, 23, Wisconsin
- Melanie San Roman, 30, Wyoming
Audrey Eckert
Eckert is an alumna of Lincoln East High School and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which are both in Lincoln. On January 12, 2020, she was crowned Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2020.
On November 7, 2020, Eckert represented Nebraska at Miss Teen USA 2020 and competed against 50 other candidates at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. She was third runner-up to Ki’ilani Arruda of Hawaii, USA.
On April 6, 2025, Eckert represented Lincoln at Miss Nebraska USA 2025, competed against 10 other candidates at The Garden Theater in Omaha, Nebraska and won the title. On October 24, 2025, she represented the state at Miss USA 2025, competed against 50 other candidates at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, USA and won the title
On November 21, 2025, Eckert represented the U.S. at Miss Universe 2025, competed against 119 other candidates at the Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand and finished in the Top 30. On May 20, 2026, she turned 24.
CONAN Daily 