Miss West Virginia

The Miss West Virginia competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of West Virginia in the Miss America Pageant.

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss West Virginia USA.
Miss West Virginia
Formation1922
TypeBeauty pageant
Location
Membership
Miss America
LeaderShelley Nichols-Franklin
WebsiteOfficial website

In the fall of 2018, the Miss America Organization terminated the Miss West Virginia organization's license as well as licenses from Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.[1][2]

The Miss America Organization reinstated the license to Shelley Nichols-Franklin of Martinsburg who was the former Executive Director of Miss Berkeley County (WV) between 2000 and 2019.[3]

With Alaska became the latest state crowned the Miss America title, West Virginia is one of the few states along with Maine, South Dakota and Wyoming that has yet to win a Miss America, Miss USA, or Miss Teen USA title.

Elizabeth Lynch of Martinsburg was crowned Miss West Virginia 2022 on June 25, 2022 at the Airborne Event Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia. She competed for the title of Miss America 2023 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut in December 2022 where she placed 3rd runner-up.

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss West Virginia titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements
  • 2nd runners-up: Ella Dee Kessel (1965)
  • 3rd runners-up: Elizabeth Lynch (2023)
  • Top 10: Deborah Davis (1980), Danae DeMasi (2002)
  • Top 15: Lillian Ward (1927), Juanita Park Wright (1940), Joan Elizabeth Estep (1947), Phyllis Walker (1952), Chelsea Malone (2016)
  • Top 16: Norma Lee Salisbury (1946)
  • Top 18: Mildred Fetty (1933)

Preliminary awards

Non-finalist awards
  • Non-finalist Interview: Leah Lasker (1992)
  • Non-finalist Talent: Karen Childers (1964), Lois Gay Ratcliff (1966), Judith Shoup (1970), Mary Derry (1975), Patricia Paugh (1978), Kari Safford (1997), Paige Madden (2015)

Other awards
  • Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award: Morgan Breeden (2016)
  • Fruit of the Loom Award: Melissa Costello (1991)

Winners
  •   Declared as winner
  •   Ended as a runner-up
  •   Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes
2023 Karrington Childress 21 TBA TBA
2022 Elizabeth Lynch Martinsburg 25 Miss Jefferson County Original Monologue 3rd Runner-Up
2021 Jaelyn Wratchford[4] Martinsburg 20 Miss Jefferson County Original Monologue
2019–20 Toriane Graal[5] Morgantown 25 Miss Tygart Valley Baton Twirling, music from Man of La Mancha Former featured twirler for West Virginia University's Pride of the Mountaineer Marching Band[6]
2018 Madeline Collins[7] Charleston 23 Miss Elkins Area Jazz Dance, "Shake Your Groove Thing"
2017 Tamia Hardy[8] Martinsburg 22 Miss Berkeley County Hip Hop Dance, “BURNITUP!” by Janet Jackson First African American woman crowned Miss West Virginia[9]

2nd Runner Up at Miss West Virginia USA Pageant[10]

2016 Morgan Breeden[11] Charles Town 21 Miss Jefferson County Piano Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award Previously Miss West Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2012[12]

Contestant at National Sweetheart 2015 pageant
2015 Chelsea Malone[13][14] Morgantown 23 Miss Wheeling Vocal, "Over You" Top 15
2014 Paige Madden[15][16] Moundsville 21 Miss Southern West Virginia Vocal, "Gravity" Non-finalist Talent Award
2013 Miranda Harrison[17] Charleston 19 Vocal, "Feeling Good"
2012 Kaitlin Gates[18] Bridgeport 20 Miss Harrison County Vocal, "Since I Fell for You" Previously Miss West Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2006[19]
2011 Spenser Wempe Shepherdstown 18 Miss North Eastern Dance, "Hallelujah" Contestant at National Sweetheart 2010 pageant
2010 Cali Young[20] Glen Dale 24 Miss Northern West Virginia Jazz Dance, "I've Got 'Cha"
2009 Talia Markham Ripley 22 Miss Capital City Vocal, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"
2008 Kayla Lynam Short Gap 21 Miss Eastern Panhandle Piano Previously West Virginia's Junior Miss 2005
2007 Summer Wyatt Athens 21 Miss Capital City Vocal, "Why Haven't I Heard from You" 2nd runner-up at Miss West Virginia USA 2013 pageant[21]
2006 Tiffany Lawrence Shepherdstown 24 Miss Jefferson County Vocal, "Black Velvet"
2005 Kimberly Goodwin Morgantown 21 Miss Morgantown Tap Dance
2004 Julia Burton Petersburg 22 Miss Southern West Virginia Vocal, "The Promise"
2003 Allison Williams Charles Town 22 Miss Mountain State Vocal, "Where the Boys Are"
2002 Janna Kerns Terra Alta 23 Miss Morgantown Vocal, "There You'll Be"
2001 Danae DeMasi Morgantown 20 Miss Appalachia Ballet en Pointe, "Ravendhi" Top 10 Preliminary Evening Gown Award
2000 Jodi Clark Moundsville 22 Miss Point Pleasant Ballet en Pointe, "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" from Side Show Contestant at National Sweetheart 1999 pageant
1999 Lucy Ours Petersburg 22 Miss Mason County Vocal, "He Grew the Tree"
1998 Amy Townsend Morgantown 23 Miss Marion County Area Vocal, "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from Grease
1997 Eisa Krushansky Westover 24 Miss North Central Tap Dance, "Dancin' Fool" from Copacabana
1996 Kari Safford Point Pleasant 23 Miss Ohio Valley Vocal, "God Help the Outcasts" Non-finalist Talent Award
1995 Elizabeth McIntyre Dunbar 24 Miss Appalachia Clogging, "Dance"
1994 Jennifer Bopp Elkins 22 Miss South Central Vocal, "It's Only a Paper Moon"
1993 Cynthia Sims Vienna 22 Miss Ohio Valley Vocal, "There! I've Said It Again" Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1992 Kimberly Parrish Parkersburg 22 Miss Marion County Area Contemporary Ballet en Pointe, "Part of Your World"
1991 Leah Lasker Bluefield 23 Miss Mercer County Tap Dance, "I'm a Brass Band" from Sweet Charity Non-finalist Interview Award
1990 Melissa Costello Shenandoah Junction 20 Miss Jefferson County Vocal, "Hurt" Fruit of the Loom Award
1989 Lisa Bittinger Fairmont 21 Miss North Central Vocal, "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from The Phantom of the Opera
1988 Lisa Seagroves Morgantown 24 Tap Dance, "They're Playing Our Song" Contestant at National Sweetheart 1985 pageant as Miss Georgia
1987 Saundra Patton Morgantown 22 Variety Act
1986 Shannon Barill Charleston 23 Miss Charleston Area Jazz en Pointe
1985 Rebecca Porterfield Martinsburg 21 Miss Berkeley County Jazz Dance, "Dance Attack"
1984 Melanne Pennington Cross Lanes 24 Miss Kanawha County Semi-classical Vocal, "One Kiss" from The New Moon Died of leukemia in 1988
1983 Andrea Lynn Patrick Morgantown 23 Miss West Virginia University Tap Dance, "Malagueña" & "España cañí" Previously Miss Pennsylvania USA 1980
1982 Kelly Lea Anderson Clarksburg 21 Miss Harrison County Stylized Can-Can Later Miss West Virginia USA 1984
1st runner-up at Miss USA 1984 pageant

Later Miss World USA 1984
Top 5 finalist at Miss World 1984 pageant
1981 Candy Cohen Huntington 24 Miss Marshall University Tap Dance, "How High the Moon"
1980 Pamela Ellen Paugh Charleston 21 Miss South Charleston Vocal, "Anytime" Sister of Miss West Virginia 1977, Patricia Paugh[22]
1979 Deborah Davis Huntington 22 Miss Southern West Virginia Vocal Medley, "He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat! & "Maybe This Time" from Cabaret Top 10 Previously Miss West Virginia USA 1978

Later Mrs. America 1984
1st runner-up at Mrs. World pageant
1978 Ivy Meadows St. Albans 22 Miss South Charleston Interpretive Dance, "Brian's Song"
1977 Patricia Paugh Parkersburg 20 Miss Parkersburg Area Original Dramatic Monologue, "Deadline" Non-finalist Talent Award Sister of Miss West Virginia 1980, Pamela Paugh[22]

Mother of JonBenét Ramsey[23]
1976 Teresa Lucas Elkins 22 Miss Fayette County Gymnastics Routine
1975 Kristi Wick South Charleston 20 Miss South Charleston Vocal, "Am I Blue?"
1974 Mary Derry Morgantown 21 Miss West Virginia University Semi-classical Vocal, "Cycles" Non-finalist Talent Award
1973 Myra Elizabeth "Beth" McVey Huntington 20 Miss Huntington Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo'"
1972 Lynette Koper Weirton 21 Presentation of Original Art Works
1971 Deborah Lambert Morgantown 19 Miss West Virginia University Piano, "What the World Needs Now Is Love"
1970 Linda Dianne Barnett Parkersburg 19 Miss Wood County Modern Jazz Dance, "The Electric Indian"
1969 Judith Shoup Gibsonia, Pennsylvania 22 Miss West Virginia University Vocal Medley & French Horn, "Days of Wine and Roses," "A Taste of Honey," & "I've Gotta Be Me" Non-finalist Talent Award
1968 Charlotte Warwick Charleston 22 Miss Morris-Harvey College Semi-classical Vocal, "The Impossible Dream"
1967 Helen Morgan Lewisburg 19 Miss Beckley Toe & Acrobatic Dance, "Teakwood Nocturne" by Roger Williams
1966 Judith Skunda Weirton 18 Miss Weirton Dramatic Monologue
1965 Lois Gay Ratcliff Bluefield 19 Miss Greater Bluefield Dramatic Reading, "Lonesome Train" Non-finalist Talent Award
1964 Ella Dee Kessel Ripley 21 Miss Morgantown Piano, "Three Preludes" by Gershwin 2nd runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1963 Karen Childers South Charleston Miss Marshall University Dramatic Reading from "The Yellow Wallpaper" Non-finalist Talent Award
1962 Diane Hunter Arlington, Virginia 20 Miss Morgantown Dance & Dramatic Sketch
1961 Carole Johnson Rivesville Vocal & Dance, "Hey, Look Me Over" from Wildcat & "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun" from Annie Get Your Gun Later Miss West Virginia World 1962
1960 Mary Hoback Bluefield 18 Miss Bluefield Original Dramatic Reading
1959 Janet Hill Nitro 21 Miss Nitro Dramatic Reading
1958 Sandra Boyd Fairmont Vocal, "Money Honey"
1957 Janice Sickle Vocal & Dance
1956 Carolyn Jane Miller Martinsburg 19 Drama Carolyn Jane (Miller) Miller died at 84 on April 17, 2021.
1955 Mary Fryman Madison Vocal
1954 Miriam Reep Clarksburg Dance
1953 Patricia Stewart Pineville Vocal & Impersonations
1952 Nancy Rohrbough Grafton Dance
1951 Phyllis Walker Charleston Drama Top 15
1950 No West Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[24]
1949 Georganne Steiss Barrackville Piano
1948 Jane Queen Huntington Vocal & Piano
1947 Joan Elizabeth Estep Wheeling Piano, Rhapsody in Blue Top 15
1946 Norma Lee Salisbury Parkersburg Top 16
1945 No West Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[25]
1944 Sharon Allyson Scott
1943 No West Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[26][27]
1942
1941 Juanita Park Wright Huntington
1940 Juanita Park Wright Huntington Miss Huntington Top 15 Multiple West Virginia representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Mary Schlarmann Bowles Montgomery Miss West Virginia
1939 No West Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[28][29][30][31][32]
1938
1937
1936
1935
1934 No national pageant was held[33]
1933 Mildred Fetty 20 Miss West Virginia University N/A[34] Top 18
1932 No national pageants were held[33]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927 Lillian Ward Huntington Miss Huntington N/A[34] Top 15 Multiple West Virginia representatives

Contestants competed under local title at national pageant
Mildred Dorothy Bright Wheeling Miss Wheeling
1926 Olive Davis Huntington Miss Huntington Multiple West Virginia representatives

Contestants competed under local title at national pageant
Mary Cecilia Cresap Wheeling Miss Wheeling
1925 Eleanor McCracken Huntington Miss Huntington Competed under local title at national pageant
1924 No West Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[35]
1923 Neva Jackson[36] Philippi Miss West Virginia N/A[34] Competed under local title at national pageant
1922 Mary Dague[37] Wheeling Miss Wheeling
1921
No West Virginia representative at Miss America pageant[38]

References
  1. Parry, Wayne (October 8, 2018). "Miss America Organization strikes back at rebellious states". The Associated Press.
  2. Parry, Wayne (December 5, 2018). "Miss America terminates agreements with NJ, NY and FL". The Associated Press.
  3. Bonk, Valerie (June 30, 2019). "Morgantown woman crowned Miss West Virginia 2019 as Martinsburg welcomes pageant". Herald-Mail Media.
  4. Chwalik, Marsha (2021-06-28). "New Miss West Virginia and Miss Outstanding Teen ready to represent the Mountain State on national stage". WV MetroNews. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  5. Bonk, Valerie (June 30, 2019). "Morgantown woman crowned Miss West Virginia 2019 as Martinsburg welcomes pageant". Herald-Mail Media.
  6. "The Featured Twirlers for the 2016–2017 season!". Facebook. June 6, 2016.
  7. Griffith, Conor (June 30, 2018). "Madeline Collins crowned Miss West Virginia 2018". WV News.
  8. "Hardy, Harrison win West Virginia pageant crowns". The Dominion Post. June 26, 2017.
  9. Van Tassell, Pepper (July 10, 2017). "New Miss West Virginia hopes to empower others". Herald-Mail Media.
  10. "Miss West Virginia USA & Teen USA Pageant Results". Pageant Update.
  11. Nestor, Leah (December 4, 2016). "Miss West Virginia shares bullying experiences with girls". Times West Virginian. Herald Mail Media.
  12. "Morgan Breeden Crowned Miss West Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2012". US Beauty Pageant. 2012-06-30. Archived from the original on 2016-01-21.
  13. Babich, Richard (July 1, 2015). "Miss West Virginia, Miss West Virginia Outstanding Teen selected". Times West Virginian. Fairmont, WV: Community Newspaper Holdings.
  14. Babich, Richard (July 2, 2015). "Chelsea Malone, Braelynn Neely are Miss West Virginia winners: PHOTOS". Times West Virginian.
  15. Gallagher, Emily (June 25, 2014). "Moundsville woman named Miss West Virginia". Times West Virginian.
  16. "Two Area Natives Win Pageant Titles". Wheeling News-Register. June 26, 2014.
  17. "Eastern Panhandle women compete in Miss West Virginia pageants". The Journal. July 7, 2013.
  18. Perine, Julie (July 1, 2012). ""Beyond Excited:" Kaitlin Gates is Crowned Miss West Virginia". Connect Bridgeport.
  19. Moore, Sarah (July 22, 2012). "Miss W.Va.: 'It's like living a dream'". The DA Online. In 2007, she was crowned Miss Teen West Virginia, a pageant under the Miss West Virginia umbrella.
  20. Fitzwilliams, Erin (June 30, 2010). "2010 Miss West Virginia, Outstanding Teen crowned". The DA Online.
  21. "Miss West Virginia USA & Teen USA Pageant Results". Pageant Update.
  22. Murphy, Samantha (September 3, 1998). "Aunt says JonBenet knew her killer". CNN.com. Both Patsy Ramsey and Paugh, her unmarried younger sister, are former Miss West Virginia beauty queens.
  23. Jerome, Richard (October 6, 1997). "Mystery Couple". People. Time Inc. 48 (14). ISSN 0093-7673.
  24. "1951 Candidates". Miss America.
  25. "1945 Candidates". Miss America.
  26. "1943 Candidates". Miss America.
  27. "1942 Candidates". Miss America.
  28. "1939 Candidates". Miss America.
  29. "1938 Candidates". Miss America.
  30. "1937 Candidates". Miss America.
  31. "1936 Candidates". Miss America.
  32. "1935 Candidates". Miss America.
  33. "Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". PBS.
  34. Schnitzspahn, Karen (September 8, 1997). "There She Was – Miss Long Branch". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com. ...talent contest that was established in 1935.
  35. "1924 Candidates". Miss America.
  36. "West Virginia's Best". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspaper.com.
  37. "none". Evening Public Ledger. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. September 2, 1922.
  38. "1921 Candidates". Miss America.
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