On Friday, Miss USA 2023 was officially crowned, with the title bestowed upon Noelia Voigt. Morgan Romano, the reigning Miss USA 2022 from North Carolina, handed over the crown, having assumed the title following R’Bonney Gabriel’s victory as Miss Universe 2023.
Utah’s Noelia Voigt secured the title of Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada, during the 2023 pageant at the Grand Sierra Resort. The event, broadcast on the CW Network, featured Hawaii’s Savannah Gankiewicz as the first-runner-up. Voigt, 23, triumphed over 50 state titleholders and emerged as the winner among the final five contestants.
Noelia Voigt becomes Miss USA 2023
During the Q&A round, Voigt, a bilingual Venezuelan-American, expressed her commitment to being a diverse “brand ambassador” for the Miss Universe Organization, pledging to connect with various communities across the United States.
Judges for the competition included Vivica A. Fox, Luann de Lesseps, and beauty vlogger Patrick Starrr. The pageant aimed to modernize the 70-year-old tradition, as stated by Laylah Rose, President, and CEO of the Miss USA Organization.
This year’s Miss USA marked a notable change with the first married state titleholder, Juliana Morehouse-Locklear of Maine, following a rule adjustment by the Miss Universe Organization. However, Morehouse-Locklear did not advance to the top 20.
Noelia Voigt succeeds the 2022 Miss USA, Morgan Romano, who took over from R’Bonney Gabriel of Texas, crowned Miss Universe in January 2022. Gabriel’s win faced controversy, with allegations of rigging by some contestants. An investigation ensued, leading to the suspension of then-Miss USA national director Crystle Stewart and her company, Miss Brands.
Gabriel and Stewart denied any unfair advantage, emphasizing the commitment to fair competition. Despite a thorough investigation that refuted the accusations, the Miss Universe Organization severed ties with Stewart in August.
In a separate event at the Grand Sierra Resort, UmaSofia Srivastava of New Jersey, aged 16, was crowned Miss Teen USA, with 19-year-old Stephanie Skinner of New York as the first-runner-up.
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