Beauties Come to Vegas
51 contestants will vie for the title Miss USA tonight at Planet Hollywood. Here’s a look at the contenders.
MISS ALABAMA
Keisha Walding
Dothan, Ala.
Age: 24
Current job: Pharmaceutical sales representative
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS ALASKA
Courtney Erin Carroll
Fairbanks, Alaska
Age: 25
Current job: Chili’s server
Evening gown designer: Nick Verreos
Height: 5-foot-7
MISS ARIZONA
Kimberly Joiner
Gilbert, Ariz.
Age: 22
Current job: Special education teacher
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS ARKANSAS
Rachel Howells
Alma, Ark.
Age: 21
Current job: None
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS CALIFORNIA
Raquel Roxanne Beezley
Barstow, Calif.
Age: 21
Current job: Waitress
Evening gown designer: Jiki
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS COLORADO
Beckie Hughes
Grand Junction, Colo.
Age: 21
Current job: Owner of three retail stores
Evening gown designer: Luree Designs (from contestant’s gown line)
Height: 5-foot-9
MISS CONNECTICUT
Jacqueline Honulik
Fairfield, Conn.
Age: 21
Current job: None
Evening gown designer: Redux Charles Chang Lima
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS DELAWARE
Vincenza Carrieri-Russo
Newark, Del.
Age: 23
Current job: Part-time work at family’s restaurant, Cosimos Pizza
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-7
MISS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Chelsey Sophia Rodgers
Washington, D.C.
Age: 24
Current job: Full-time law student
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS FLORIDA
Jessica Rafalowski
Deland, Fla.
Age: 22
Current job: None
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS GEORGIA
Amanda Kozak
Warner Robins, Ga.
Age: 23
Current job: Part-time work for the Georgia Association of Educators
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS HAWAII
Jonelle Layfield
Kaneohe, Hawaii
Age: 23
Current job: Dance instructor with 24/7 Danceforce
Evening gown designer: La Casa Hermosa, Takeo, Erik Eugene Chandler, Andy South
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS IDAHO
Tracey Brown
Post Falls, Idaho
Age: 21
Current job: On-site wedding coordinator and full-time student
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-9
MISS ILLINOIS
Shanon Lersch
Chicago
Age: 25
Current job: Professional model, dancer, certified public speaker, head coach and director of dance program at DePaul University
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS INDIANA
Brittany Mason
Anderson, Ind.
Age: 21
Current job: Account executive, model, student
Evening gown designer: Carlos Alberto
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS IOWA
Abbey Nicole Curran
Davenport, Iowa
Age: 20
Current job: None
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-5
MISS KANSAS
Michelle Gillespie
Mission Hills, Kan.
Age: 22
Current job: KCTV-5 intern
Evening gown designer: A. Rene (by Ashley Litton)
Height: 5-foot-11
MISS KENTUCKY
Alysha Noel Harris
Lexington, Ky.
Age: 20
Current job: Nanny for two children
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-4
MISS LOUISIANA
Michelle Berthelot
Hammond, La.
Age: 24
Current job: Spokesmodel and advice columnist for Global Nutrition, Oxygen Fit radio show co-host, swimsuit and fitness model
Evening gown designer: Gregory Ellenburg
Height: 5-foot-6
MISS MAINE
Kaetlin Parent
Van Buren, Maine
Age: 20
Current job: Cache sales associate
Evening gown designer: AJ Silva (Amaldo Couture)
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS MARYLAND
Cassandra Tressler
Damascus, Md.
Age: 22
Current job: None
Evening gown designer: Jovani
Height: 5-foot-9
MISS MASSACHUSETTS
Jackie Bruno
Assonet, Mass.
Age: 23
Current job: Print and runway model and host of New England TV on NewEngland.com
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS MICHIGAN
Elisabeth Jean Crawford
Canton, Mich.
Age: 25
Current job: Producer/editor for Pask Video Productions, spokesperson for Acura Automotive and volunteer at the Barbara Ann Kamanos Cancer Institute
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS MINNESOTA
Kaylee Unverzagt
Eagan, Minn.
Age: 20
Current job: Legal assistant
Evening gown designer: Tony Bowls
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS MISSISSIPPI
Leah Laviano
Ellisville, Miss.
Age: 20
Current job: Sales associate at pageant dress boutique, Pageant Complete
Evening gown designer: Tony Bowls
Height: 5-foot-4
MISS MISSOURI
Candice Crawford
Columbia, Mo.
Age: 21
Current job: Certified personal trainer at Mizzou Rec Complex
Evening gown designer: A. Renee
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS MONTANA
Tori Rae Wanty
Shelby, Mont.
Age: 21
Current job: Student and waitress
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-4
MISS NEBRASKA
Micaela Johnson
Omaha, Neb.
Age: 23
Current job: Student
Evening gown designer: A. Rene (by Ashley Litton)
Height: 5-foot-5
MISS NEVADA
Veronica Grabowski
Henderson, Nev.
Age: 23
Current job: Professional model
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-6
MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE
Breanne Silvi
Nashua, N.H.
Age: 24
Current job: Bartender
Evening gown designer: Claire’s Collection
Height: 5-foot-4
MISS NEW JERSEY
Tiffany Andrade
Linden, N.J.
Age: 22
Current job: Registered nurse
Evening gown designer: Jovani
Height: 5-foot-5
MISS NEW MEXICO
Raelene Deloris Aguilar
Sunland Park, N.M.
Age: 26
Current job: MAC Cosmetics makeup artist
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS NEW YORK
Danielle Roundtree
New York
Age: 20
Current job: Miss New York USA 2008
Evening gown designer: Juan Carlos & Fernando
Height: 5-foot-11
MISS NORTH CAROLINA
Andrea Duke
Saluda, N.C.
Age: 26
Current job: Miss North Carolina USA 2008
Evening gown designer: Gregory Ellenburg
Height: 5-foot-11
MISS NORTH DAKOTA
Stephanie Lee Tollefson
Bismark, N.D.
Age: 21
Current job: Operating room tech II at Medcenter One Hospital, surgical department
Evening gown designer: Caroline Brost for Caroline Hayden Designs
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS OHIO
Monica Day
Columbus, Ohio
Age: 25
Current job: Traffic and entertainment reporter
Evening gown designer: Tony Bowles
Height: 5-foot-9
MISS OKLAHOMA
Lindsey Jo Harrington
Frederick, Okla.
Age: 22
Current job: Miss Oklahoma USA 2008 and full-time student at Oklahoma State University
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS OREGON
Mary Lee Horch
Corvallis, Ore.
Age: 24
Current job: None
Evening gown designer: Anna Cohen
Height: 5-foot-7
MISS PENNSYLVANIA
LauRen Merola
Pittsburgh
Age: 23
Current job: Robe Lighting, sales and marketing
Evening gown designer: Lady M
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS RHODE ISLAND
Amy Diaz
North Providence, R.I.
Age: 23
Current job: Rhode Island Supreme Court intern
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-6
MISS SOUTH CAROLINA
JAMIE HILL
Columbia, S.C.
Age: 24
Current job: Casting recruiter, actress and model
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-6
MISS SOUTH DAKOTA
Charlie Buhler
Mitchell, S.D.
Age: 20
Current job: Full-time student
Evening gown designer: Hugo Samiento
Height: 5-foot-6
MISS TENNESSEE
Hailey Laine Brown
South Fulton, Tenn.
Age: 25
Current job: Medical sales consultant for PSS World Medical Inc.
Evening gown designer: Carlos Alberto
Height: 5-foot-9
MISS TEXAS
Crystle Stewart
Missouri City, Texas
Age: 26
Current job: Owner of Inside/Out, special education teacher’s aide for Elkins High School, Neal Hamil model
Evening gown designer: Unknown
Height: 5-foot-9
MISS UTAH
Julia Bachison
North Ogden, Utah
Age: 24
Current job: Marketing coordinator for the Deseret Morning News
Evening gown designer: Sherri Hill
Height: 5-foot-7
MISS VERMONT
Kim Tantlinger
Burlington, Vt.
Age: 22
Current job: Burton Snowboards customer service representative
Evening gown designer: Tony Bowls
Height: 5-foot-7
MISS VIRGINIA
Tori Hall
Midlothian, Va.
Age: 21
Current job: Public speaker
Evening gown designer: Gregory Ellenburg
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS WASHINGTON
Michelle Marie Font
Renton, Wash.
Age: 26
Current job: Technical analyst
Evening gown designer: Dora Sylvia Ortiz and Ruby Davila Rendon
Height: 5-foot-10
MISS WEST VIRGINIA
Skylene Montgomery
Parkersburg, W. Va.
Age: 23
Current job: Exercise physiologist
Evening gown designer: Tony Bowles
Height: 5-foot-7
MISS WISCONSIN
Michelyn Cynthia Butler
Madison, Wis.
Age: 25
Current job: None
Evening gown designer: Jovani
Height: 5-foot-8
MISS WYOMING
Cassie Shore
Casper, Wyo.
Age: 22
Current job: Secretary to six doctors at an orthopedic surgery clinic
Evening gown designer: Tony Bowles
Height: 5-foot-5