The Miss Hawaii USA competition, previously known as Miss Hawaii Universe, is a

beauty pageant A beauty pageant is a competition in which the contestants are judged and ranked based on various physical and mental attributes. Per its name, beauty pageants traditionally focus on judging the contestants' physical attractiveness, sometimes sol ...

that selects the representative for the state of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

in the

Miss USA Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020. ...

pageant. Issha Rose Mata of

Hilo Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...

was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 2025 on March 22, 2025 at

Hawaii Convention Center The Hawai‘i Convention Center is a convention and exhibition center in Hawaii, located in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The Hawaii Convention Center is the largest exhibition center of its type in the state. It is located directly to the we ...

in Honolulu. She will represent Hawaii at Miss USA 2025

History

Hawaii is the most recent state to participate in Miss USA, first competing in 1962. Prior to being admitted to full statehood in 1959, it sent delegates to

Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international major beauty pageant that is run by a Thailand and Mexican-based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stree ...

. Despite the late start, it has been one of the most successful: Hawaii's first Miss Hawaii USA,

Macel Wilson Macel Patricia Leilani Wilson (born May 5, 1943) is an American beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 1962. Previously crowned Miss Hawaii USA 1962, Wilson was the first entrant from Hawaii, first Asian American, and first woman ...

, won the Miss USA title. Four

winners came from Hawaii, one of four states with four titles (only second to

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

and

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

). Though many Miss USA winners and semifinalists came from Hawaii, relatively few have placed as runners-up. Two previously competed at Miss Teen USA.

Kelly Hu Kelly Ann Hu (born February 13, 1968) is an American actress. She starred as Dr. Rae Chang on the American television soap opera '' Sunset Beach'' and as Michelle Chan on the American television police drama series '' Nash Bridges''. She has st ...

Miss Teen USA 1985 Miss Teen USA 1985, the 3rd Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the James L. Knight International Center Arena in Miami, Florida on 22 January 1985. At the conclusion of the final competition, Kelly Hu of Hawaii was crowned by outgoi ...

, became the first

Miss Teen USA Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant that has been run since 1983 by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19 years old as of January 1st of the competition year. They must be US citizens, and cannot have been married, pregnant, or ...

winner to win a Miss title, in 1993. Many Miss Hawaii USA titleholders competed at a number of international pageants. Similar to

Miss South Carolina USA The Miss South Carolina USA competition, previously known as Miss South Carolina Universe, is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. The ...

, there was one Miss Hawaii USA that competed at

Miss World Miss World is the oldest existing international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with Miss Universe, Mi ...

. Another one competed at

Miss International Miss International (''Miss International Beauty'' or ''The International Beauty Pageant'') is a Japan-based international major beauty pageant organized by the International Culture Association. First held in 1960, it is the fourth largest page ...

. Four of the winners competed at

, after winning Miss USA. Six titleholders represented the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

at major international pageants, with Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Brook Lee, winning the title of Miss USA 1997 and capturing the crown of Miss Universe 1997, one of only 9

winners to become

in the history of the pageant.

Gallery of titleholders

File:TeriAnnLinn in 2009.jpg,

Teri Ann Linn Teri Ann Linn is an American actress and singer who also worked in Finland and Italy. She originated the role of Kristen Forrester Dominguez on ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', appearing regularly from 1987 to 1990, briefly returning in 1992 an ...

, Miss Hawaii USA 1981 at her

Punahou School Punahou School (known as Oahu College until 1934) is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school in Honolulu, Hawaii. More than 3,700 students attend the school from kindergarten through 12th grade. The school was established by P ...

reunion in June 2009 File:Miss Hawaii USA 1990 parade.jpg, Leimomi Bacalso, Miss Hawaii USA 1990 in the 1989 Mililani Town Christmas Parade File:KellyHu.jpg,

, Miss Hawaii USA 1993 and

, at a public event File:Brook Lee.JPG, Brook Lee, Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Miss USA 1997 and Miss Universe 1997 File:Chelsea Hardin King Kamehameha Parade 2016 cropped.jpg, Chelsea Hardin, Miss Hawaii USA 2016 File:Savannah Gankiewicz - August 2023.png, Savannah Gankiewicz, Miss Hawaii USA 2023 and

Miss USA 2023 Miss USA 2023 was the 72nd Miss USA pageant, held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, on September 29, 2023. ''All times in this article are Pacific Time Zone ( UTC-7)'' Morgan Romano of North Carolina crowned Noelia Voigt of Utah as ...

Results summary

Placements

*Miss USAs:

(1962),

Tanya Wilson Tanya Denise Wilson (born June 13, 1950) is an American model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 1972. Wilson had previously been crowned Miss Hawaii USA, Miss Hawaii USA 1972, and placed in the top twelve at Miss Universe 19 ...

(1972),

Judi Andersen Judi Andersen Harrison (name at birth, née Andersen; born October 11, 1958) is an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 1978. Andersen was born in Honolulu, and attended Punahou School before moving to ...

(1978), Brook Lee (1997) *1st runner-up: Chelsea Hardin (2016), Savannah Gankiewicz (2023)Savannah Gankiewicz was originally 1st runner-up at

but assumed title after the winner relinquished her title for personal reasons. *2nd runner-up: Blanche Leialoha Maa (1979) *4th runner-up:

(1981) *Top 6:

(1993) *Top 8/10/11/12: Lois Wise (1975), Cely De Castro (1977), Vanessa Dubois (1982),

Tina Machado Tina Marie Machado, formerly Placourakis, (born 1960) is an American actress, businesswoman, former model, athlete and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 1985. Hawaii Tina Marie Machado was born in Hawaii in 1960, one of ...

(1985), Kym Digman (1991), Nadine Tanega (1994), Alicia Michioka (2003), Chanel Wise (2007), Angela Byrd (2011), Emma Wo (2015), Samantha Neyland (2020), Breea Yamat (2024) *Top 15: Elithe Aguiar (1965), Judith Wolski (1966), Carol Seymour (1968), Stephanie Quintana (1969), Lacie Choy (2019) Hawaii holds a record of 26 placements at

Awards

*Miss Congeniality: Ku'ualoha Taylor (1996), Michelle Kaplan (2000) *Miss Photogenic:

(1993) *Style Award: Lynn Vesnefski (1995) *Best State Costume: Savannah Gankiewicz (2023)

Winners

;Color key

Notes

References

External links

Miss Hawaii USA official webpage
{{Miss Universe countries and territories

Hawaii culture Women in Hawaii Recurring events established in 1952 1952 establishments in Hawaii Annual events in Hawaii