Miss Minnesota
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- For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Minnesota USA.
The Miss Minnesota competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss America pageant. Women from Minnesota have won the Miss America crown on three occasions. The most recent was Gretchen Carlson in 1989.
Winners
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Rachel Latuff | Minneapolis | 24 | Miss Olmsted County | Contemporary Ribbon Dance "Out of the Woods" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 | ||
| 2014 | Savannah Cole | Brainerd | 19 | Miss Southern Valley | Vocal "The House of the Rising Sun" | |||
| 2013 | Rebecca Yeh | Nisswa | 20 | Miss Northwest | Violin "Scherzo Tarantella" by Henryk Wieniawski | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award, Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award | |
| 2012 | Siri Joy Freeh | Lake Park | 22 | Miss Northwest | Lyrical Dance "Make Us One" | |||
| 2011 | Natalie Davis[1] | Dassel | 21 | Miss Mankato | Vocal "Unexpected Song" | Quality of Life Finalist | Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2006, Contestant at National Sweetheart 2009 | |
| 2010 | Kathryn Knuttila | Detroit Lakes | 23 | Miss Twin Cities | Original Piano Composition "Quintessence" | Quality of Life Finalist, Non-finalist Talent Award, Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award | Sister of Miss Minnesota 2001 Kari Knuttila | |
| 2009 | Brooke Kilgarriff | Eagan | 20 | Miss Twin Cities | Vocal "Somebody to Love" | Non-finalist Talent Award, Quality of Life Finalist | ||
| 2008 | Angela McDermott[2] | Austin | 24 | Miss Twin Cities | Vocal "You Don't Own Me" | |||
| 2007 | Jennifer Hudspeth | Apple Valley | 23 | Miss Mankato | Vocal "Life of the Party" from The Wild Party | Quality of Life Finalist | Reporter for Mankato, Minnesota News Station | |
| 2006 | Nicole Swanson | Lakeville | 24 | Miss Twin Cities | Classical Viola "Etude Speciale Opus 36, No. 29 - The Gossip" by Jacques Féréol Mazas | Non-finalist Talent Award | Minnesota's Junior Miss 2001 | |
| 2005 | Karyn Stordahl | Owatonna | 24 | Miss Heart of the Lakes | Classical Piano Medley "Malagueña", "Prelude in G minor", "Fantaisie-Impromptu", & "Clair de Lune" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Married to NFL player Ben Utecht | |
| 2004 | Tiffany Ogle | Waverly | 24 | Miss Metropolitan | Broadway Vocal "Nothing" from A Chorus Line | Co-host of morning show The Morning Blend for Milwaukee's WTMJ-TV | ||
| 2003 | Megan Torgerson | Warren | 23 | Miss Coon Rapids | Classical Vocal "Una Voce Poco Fa" from The Barber of Seville | Pastor in Saint Paul, Minnesota; Freelance writer | ||
| 2002 | Allyson Kearns | Eden Prairie | 22 | Miss Twin Cities | Dance "I Hope I Get It" from A Chorus Line | Works for Harpo Productions | ||
| 2001 | Kari Knuttila | Detroit Lakes | 21 | Miss Twin Cities | Classical Piano "Sonata in B Minor" | Sister of Miss Minnesota 2010 | ||
| 2000 | Katherine Hill | Wayzata | 23 | Miss Twin Cities | Vocal / Piano "All by Myself" | |||
| 1999 | Natalie Lund | New Brighton | 21 | Miss Central Minnesota | Tap Dance "Shout And Feel It" | Returned for Judges Panel at Miss Minnesota 2009 | ||
| 1998 | Megan West | Litchfield | 22 | Miss Winona | Vocal "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love" | |||
| 1997 | Jennifer Ostergaard | Winona | 22 | Miss Winona | Dramatic Monologue "Clear Glass Marbles" from Talking With... | Non-finalist Talent Award, Quality of Life Award | Top 10 Outstanding Young Minnesotan, Top 20 Outstanding Young American, Pediatric Clinical Psychologist | |
| 1996 | Sherry Johnson | Owatonna | 22 | Miss Winona | Vocal "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" | |||
| 1995 | Paula Knoll | Moorhead | 22 | Miss Northwest | Classical Violin "Csárdás" | Waterford Business Management & Marketing Award | ||
| 1994 | Eileen Van Driest | Winona | 23 | Miss Cottage Grove | Classical Flute Solo | |||
| 1993 | Shawna Stoltenberg | Coon Rapids | 24 | Miss Stillwater | Classical Piano Piece by Aram Khachaturian | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1992 | Jo Bender | Rochester | 23 | Miss Rochester | Fiddle Medley "Dixie", "Tennessee River", & "Orange Blossom Special" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Meteorologist, KSTP-TV Minneapolis, Hosted Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2009 | |
| 1991 | Julie Richardson | Fridley | 24 | Miss Coon Rapids | Vocal "Someone Like You" from Jekyll & Hyde | |||
| 1990 | Brenda Armstrong | Albert Lea | 19 | Miss Albert Lea | Harp Solo "La Source" by Alphonse Hasselmans | |||
| 1989 | Lynne Schacher | East Grand Forks | 25 | Miss Metropolitan | Ballet / Jazz Dance "Merrily We Roll Along" | Works as an on-air show host for ShopHQ | ||
| 1988 | Susan Johnson* | Miss Mankato | ||||||
| Gretchen Elizabeth Carlson | Anoka | 22 | Miss Cottage Grove | Classical Violin "Zigeunerweisen" | Winner | Preliminary Talent Award | Co-host of Fox & Friends | |
| 1987 | Katherine Killen | Owatonna | 20 | Miss Owatonna | Vocal "Tonight" | |||
| 1986 | Kristine Fouks | Stillwater | 23 | Miss White Bear Lake | Vocal | Placed as 1st runner-up in the state pageant but assumed the title after the original winner resigned | ||
| 1985 | Elizabeth Hunter | Austin | 21 | Miss Austin | Semi-classical Vocal "Love Is Where You Find It" | |||
| 1984 | Lauren Susan Green | Minneapolis | 26 | Miss Twin Cities | Piano Solo "Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor" | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | Morning newscaster for Fox News Channel |
| 1983 | Vicki Plaster | Saint Paul | 23 | Miss Twin Cities | Vocal Medley "Just You Wait" & "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady | |||
| 1982 | Laurie Saarinen | Osage | 21 | Miss Park Rapids | Vocal "My Man" | Top 10 | Miss North Dakota USA 1981 | |
| 1981 | Elizabeth Ruyak | Mankato | 20 | Miss Mankato | Piano "Fantaisie-Impromptu" | |||
| 1980 | Debra Goodwin | Austin | 20 | Miss Austin | Classical Piano | Preliminary Swimsuit Award, Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1979 | Debra Ann Nerby | Rochester | 24 | Miss Byron | Vocal "Who Can I Turn To?" | |||
| 1978 | Sue Erickson | Coon Rapids | 19 | Miss Coon Rapids | Vocal "With a Song in My Heart" | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | ||
| 1977 | Kim Fossey | Austin | 20 | Miss Austin | Popular Vocal "Mister Melody" | |||
| 1976 | Mary Nelson* | Miss Winona | ||||||
| Dorothy Kathleen Benham | Edina | 20 | Miss South St. Paul | Classical Vocal "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus | Winner | Preliminary Swimsuit Award; Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1975 | Kerri Thorne | White Bear Lake | 19 | Miss White Bear Lake | Flute Solo "Swingin' Shepherd Blues" by Moe Koffman | |||
| 1974 | Pam Bernhagen | Bloomington | 20 | Miss Bloomington | Acrobatic Jazz Ballet "Fiddler on the Roof" | Sister of Miss Minnesota 1971 | ||
| 1973 | Joleen Benoit | Farmington | 19 | Miss Shakopee | Vocal / Guitar "Danny's Song" | Toured with Miss America USO Troupe | ||
| 1972 | Linda Hagen | Hampton | 22 | Miss Saint Paul | Popular Vocal "Who Will Buy?" from Oliver! | |||
| 1971 | Sheila Bernhagen | Bloomington | 19 | Miss Bloomington | Acrobatic Jazz Ballet "Flim Flam Man" | Top 10 | ||
| 1970 | Juliana Gabor | South St. Paul | 20 | Miss South St. Paul | Popular Vocal "My Coloring Book" | Died from Cancer in 2009, moment of silence in her honor at State pageant. | ||
| 1969 | Judy Mendenhall | Edina | 18 | Miss Edina | Flute Solo "The Swiss Shepherd's Song" by Pietro Morlacchi | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1968 | Mary Williams | Minneapolis | 20 | Miss St. Anthony Village | Tap Dance "Wall Street Rag" by Scott Joplin | |||
| 1967 | Charlotte Sims | Saint Paul | 19 | Miss Roseville | Acrobatic Dance "Ebb Tide" | Top 10 | Contestant at Miss Teenage America 1964, Toured with Miss America USO Troupes in 1968 & 1969 | |
| 1966 | Diane Lindgren | Saint Paul | 19 | Miss White Bear Lake | Folk Singing & Guitar | |||
| 1965 | Jeanne Ruth | Saint Paul | 18 | Miss Saint Paul | Interpretive Jazz Dance "West Side Story" | |||
| 1964 | Barbara Hasselberg | Bloomington | 21 | Miss Bloomington | Medley of Authentic Polynesian Dances "Hawaiian War Chant" | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | Contestant at Miss Wool of America 1964 |
| 1963 | Sharon Carnes | Saint Paul | Miss Saint Paul | Vocal "Love Is Where You Find It" from The Kissing Bandit | ||||
| 1962 | Judith Lerstad | Bloomington | 22 | Miss Bloomington | Alto & Bass Saxophone Medley "Harlem Nocturne", "Misty", & "Hubcaps & Tailgates" | |||
| 1961 | Nancee Parkinson | West St. Paul | 18 | Miss West St. Paul | Modern Calypso Jazz Dance | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | |
| 1960 | Jean Elverum | Faribault | 22 | Miss Faribault | Vocal "Romany Life" from The Fortune Teller | |||
| 1959 | Judy Olson | Albert Lea | 19 | Miss Albert Lea | Modern Dance | |||
| 1958 | Diane Albers | Saint Paul | Miss Saint Paul | Piano "Allegro de Concierto" by Enrique Granados | ||||
| 1957 | Ardyce Gustafson | Saint Paul | Miss Saint Paul | Vocal Medley from My Fair Lady | ||||
| 1956 | Marie Miller | Winona | Miss Winona | Vocal "Batti Batti o bel Masette" from Don Giovanni | As of 2014 Marie Miller Carroll lives near Ponchatoula, Louisiana. | |||
| 1955 | Marlyse Reed | Fairmont | Miss Fairmont | Dramatic Monologue "L'Aiglon" | ||||
| 1954 | Jeanne Reince | Winona | Miss Winona | Classical Vocal | ||||
| 1953 | Idell Hulin | Minneapolis | Miss Minneapolis | Vocal | ||||
| 1952 | Carole Wick | Duluth | Miss Duluth | Vocal | ||||
| 1951 | Katherine Clark | Minneapolis | Miss Minneapolis | Classical Vocal "The Jewel Song" from Faust | ||||
| 1950 | Jeanne Traun | Minneapolis | Miss Minneapolis | Vocal | ||||
| 1949 | Gloria Burkhart | Minneapolis | Miss Minneapolis | Violin "Zigeunerweisen" | Top 15 | Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1948 | Jean Sheils* | Miss Edina | ||||||
| BeBe Shopp | Hopkins | 18 | Miss Hopkins | Vibraharp "Caprice Viennois" by Fritz Kreisler | Winner | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | ||
| 1947 | Elaine Campbell | Minneapolis | Miss Minneapolis | Classical Vocal "Je Veux Vivre" from Roméo et Juliette | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1946 | Rosemarie Gregg | Saint Paul | Miss Saint Paul | |||||
| 1945 | Arlene Anderson | Minneapolis | Miss Minneapolis | Vocal / Marimba "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" from Naughty Marietta | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1944 | Patricia Cummings | Minneapolis | Hula | Top 12 | ||||
| 1943 | Florence Hunton | Minneapolis | Dramatic Reading "Désirée’s Baby" | Top 10 | ||||
| 1942 | Jane Groerner | Minneapolis | ||||||
| 1941 | Patricia Tiets | Minneapolis | ||||||
| 1940 | Virginia Kepler | Minneapolis | ||||||
| 1939 | Marion Rudeen | Minneapolis | Acro Dance | Top 15 | Preliminary Talent Award | |||
| 1938 | Avis Darrow | Duluth | ||||||
| 1937 | Cecelia Rodge | Minneapolis | ||||||
| 1936 | Irene Martineau | Minneapolis | Miss Minneapolis | |||||
| 1935 | Mildred Barrett | Marshall | ||||||
| 1927 | No Miss Minnesota | Sylvia Irene Brenner competed as Miss Minneapolis. | ||||||
| 1926 | No Miss Minnesota | Florence Fuller competed as Miss Duluth and Helen Katherine Douglas competed as Miss Minneapolis. | ||||||
| 1925 | No Miss Minnesota | Lucille McGinty competed as Miss Minneapolis and finished as a Finalist. Dorothy Bastyr competed as Miss Saint Paul. | ||||||
* Succeeded to the crown after Miss Minnesota won Miss America
