“Our time on stage united us,
but it’s what we’ve done beyond the spotlight that defines us.”
WINNERS OF THE MISS WEST VIRGINIA USA TITLE . . .
MISS WEST VIRGINIA USA HALL OF FAME
West Virginia has placed 12 times at the MISS USA® Pageant.
Below are the titleholders who earned finalist and semi-finalist placements at the MISS USA:
1ST RUNNER-UP: Kelly Anderson (1984) – First Runner-Up
2ND RUNNER-UP: Ruth Parr (1957) – Second Runner-Up
TOP 10: Jessi Pierson (2009) – Top 10, Miss Photogenic
TOP 15: Nichole Greene (2016) – Top 15 - Chelsea Welch (2013) – Top 15 Kristin Morrison (2005) – Top 15
SEMI-FINALIST
Krystian Leonard (2022) – Semi-Finalist - Paula Morrison (1987) – Semi-Finalist - Kathy McManaway (1961) – Semi-Finalist - Garnett Pugh (1960) – Semi-Finalist - Wilda Estep (1959) – Semi-Finalist - ay Higley (1953) – Semi-Finalist
DOUBLE CROWN HOLDERS
These four titleholders also held the Miss West Virginia Teen USA crown:
Haley Holloway: Teen 2013 → Miss 2019
Chelsea Welch: Teen 2007 → Miss 2013
Whitney Veach: Teen 2003 → Miss 2011
Amanda Burns: Teen 1997 → Miss 1999
Given these years of non-participation, the state has crowned 71 titleholders as of the 2025 pageant. The 2026 pageant will mark the crowning of the 72nd Miss West Virginia USA, despite it being the 75th MISS USA Pageant nationally.
Below is a full list of MISS WEST VIRGINIA USA winners.
RECENT WINNERS
-
ERIN WELLMAN
MISS WEST VIRGINIA USA 2025
-
CAYLIE SIMMONS
-
NEVAEH HARMON
MISS WEST VIRGINIA USA 2023
WINNERS BY THE YEAR
1953 – Fay Higley
1954 – Sandra Waggy
1955 – Barbara Tucker
1956 – Janet Cardi
1957 – Ruth Parr
1958 – Mary Guthrie
1959 – Wilda Estep
1960 – Garnett Pugh
1961 – Kathy McManaway
1962 – Nicki Galais
1963 – Nina Lou Denton
1966 – Annette Peery
1967 – Pamela Young
1968 – Patricia Coyne
1969 – Betty Grimmer
WINNERS BY THE YEAR
1970 – Sharon Alberti
1971 – Peggy Tennant
1972 – Diane McCutcheon
1973 – Kathy Rowand
1974 – Kim Nuzum
1975 – Joyce Myers
1976 – Cheryl Plants
1977 – Pat Brown
1978 – Deborah Davis
1979 – Candice (Candy) Boggs
WINNERS BY THE YEAR
1990 – Sabrina Anderson
1991 – Krista Ransbottom
1992 – Vickie Myers
1993 – Jennifer Johnson
1994 – Linda Bailey
1995 – Tracy Holcomb
1996 – Regina Fisher
1997 – Natalie Bevins
1998 – Susan Booth
1999 – Amanda Burns
2000 – Tara Wilson
2001 – Karen Long
2002 – Angela Davenport
2003 – Amy Thomason
2004 – Carolyn Jennings
2005 – Kristin Morrison
2006 – Jessica Wedge
2007 – Kasey Montgomery
2008 – Skylene Montgomery
2009 – Jessi Pierson
WINNERS BY THE YEAR
2010 – Erica Jade Goldsmith
2011 – Whitney Veach
2012 – Andrea Rogers
2013 – Chelsea Welch
2014 – Charisse Haislop
2015 – Andrea Mucino
2016 – Nichole Greene
2017 – Lauren Roush
2018 – Casey Lassiter
2019 – Haley Holloway
WINNERS BY THE YEAR
2020 – Charlotte Bellotte
2021 – Alexis Bland
2022 – Krystian Leonard
2023 – Nevaeh Harmon
2024 – Caylie Simmons
2025 - Erin Wellman