Miss Virginia Justus Kelley became the first mother and first married woman ever to win the Miss USA crown following rule changes that opened the competition to more women. Kelley, 31, was crowned Miss USA 2026 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, during the pageant's 75th anniversary competition. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder Audrey Eckert, Miss USA 2025.
The Virginia native beat out 51 contestants representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This year’s contest was the 75th edition of the national pageant and was themed “75 Years of Icons,” in honor of the historic year. Her victory marks a milestone for the organization after it removed age restrictions and eligibility rules that had previously barred married women and mothers from competing.
Kelley is also the first woman in her 30s to win the title. She will represent the United States at Miss Universe 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This year's Miss USA walked away with a significant prize package, valued at more than $685,000.
It includes a $150,000 salary, a Range Rover, a one-year lease in a luxury Miami apartment residence and a Westgate Vacation Home Club. These were the finalists at Miss USA 2026, as announced by hosts Kenya Moore and Ian Ziering. Miss Utah USA Alayzia Christopher finished as fourth runner-up.
She wrote in a post on Instagram, “A night filled with so much excitement & pride, celebrating 75 years of @missusa and the biggest honor of my life, representing Utah.” Miss Iowa USA Madeline Erickson finished as third runner-up. In June, she wrote, “I’m feeling an overwhelming sense of pride, honor, and gratitude to be named your Miss Iowa USA 2026.” She added, “This title may have my name on it, but it was built by an incredible community of people who believed in me every step of the way.” Miss Pennsylvania USA Elizabeth Voight finished as second runner-up. It was a privilege to celebrate this milestone with you,” she wrote on Instagram.
The first runner-up was Aileen Cerchiara of Florida. She wrote in a post on Instagram, “To grace the Miss USA stage is one of the greatest honors of my life, but what makes this moment truly special are the people who helped me get here.” For most of its history, Miss USA enforced strict eligibility requirements that reflected traditional pageant standards. Contestants had to be unmarried, could not have children, and were generally required to be between the ages of 18 and 28.
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