 | |
| Formation | 1922 |
|---|---|
| Type | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters | Mansfield |
| Location | |
| Membership | Miss America |
Official language | English |
Key people | Stephanie Finoti |
| Website | Official website |
TheMiss Ohio Scholarship Program selects the representative for theU.S. state ofOhio to compete for the title ofMiss America. The pageant is held annually, during the "Miss Ohio Festival" week, at the historic 1,600 seatRenaissance Theatre (originally named the Ohio Theatre) inMansfield.
Ohio representatives have won the Miss America pageant six times, joiningCalifornia, andOklahoma as the only states with six crowns. New York has the most winners with seven. Ohio is the only state to have a contestant who won the Miss America title twice:
* When city representatives were common at the national pageant,Mary Katherine Campbell competed in Miss America Pageants as "Miss Columbus, Ohio".
The Miss Ohio pageant played a significant role in the saving of the Ohio Theatre and its renovation into the Renaissance Theatre. Mansfield originally hosted the Miss Ohio Pageant at the old Ohio Theatre from 1959 through 1962. AfterJacquelyn Mayer, Miss Ohio 1962, was crowned Miss America 1963, the Miss Ohio pageant was relocated to the Ballroom Pavilion atCedar Point Amusement Park inSandusky. In 1975, the pageant returned to Mansfield, first to Malabar High School Auditorium from 1975 through 1978, then to the Madison Theatre in 1979. In 1980, it was decided to televise the pageant. Because of inadequate stage depth and backstage space at the Madison Theatre, then pageant producer Denny Keller and pageant set designerPaul Gilger persuaded the Miss Ohio Board of Directors to move the pageant back to Mansfield's Ohio Theatre, reopening the facility and sprucing it up for the pageant's first televised broadcast. The pageant's return to the old Ohio Theatre was the initial event that eventually led to the total renovation of the theatre and its reincarnation into the Renaissance Theatre. The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program has been held at the Renaissance Theatre since 1980, now for over 40 years.
Stephanie Finoti ofColumbus was crowned Miss Ohio 2024 on June 15, 2024, atRenaissance Theatre inMansfield. She competed for the title of Miss America 2025 on January 5 in 2025 and placed 4th runner-up, the highest placement for Ohio since 1993.
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Ohio 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.
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Olivia Fosson | Kitts Hill | 24 | Miss Clayland | Classical Vocal, Opera | |||
| 2024 | Stephanie Finoti | Columbus | 21 | Miss Shawnee | Ballet En Pointe | 4th Runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | First Latina Miss Ohio |
| 2023 | Madison Miller[1] | Coshocton | 23 | Miss North Coast | Classical Piano | |||
| 2022 | Elizabetta Nies | Cincinnati | 18 | Miss Maple City | Piano, "Étude Op. 10, No. 10" | Top 11 | Daughter ofMiss Illinois 1992 andMiss Illinois USA 1994, Kathleen Farrell Niece ofMiss Florida 1985 andMiss Florida USA 1988, Monica Farrell and ofMiss New York 1984, Mary-Ann Farrell | |
| 2021 | Lora Current[2] | Rosewood | 20 | Miss South Central Ohio | Jazz Dance | |||
| 2019–20 | Caroline Grace Williams[3] | Cincinnati | 24 | Miss Montgomery County | Classical Vocal | |||
| 2018 | Matti-Lynn Chrisman[4] | Cambridge | 22 | Miss Maple City | Musical Theater Vocal, "Life of the Party" fromWild Party | |||
| 2017 | Sarah Clapper[5] | Louisville | 22 | Miss Clayland | Piano, "White Water Chopsticks" | Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship[citation needed] Women in Business Scholarship Award[6] | ||
| 2016 | Alice Magoto[7][8] | Cincinnati | 18 | Miss Portsmouth | Vocal, "Astonishing" fromLittle Women | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | LaterMiss Ohio USA 2019[9] Top 10 atMiss USA 2019 pageant | |
| 2015 | Sarah Hider[10] | Wooster | 24 | Miss Maple City | Jazz Vocal, "Almost Like Being in Love" | PreviouslyMiss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2008[11] | ||
| 2014 | Mackenzie Bart[12] | Columbus | 22 | Miss Montgomery County | Ventriloquism, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" fromMary Poppins | Top 10 | Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship[13] Preliminary Talent Award[14] STEM Scholarship Award[14] | Winner ofFunny or Die Presents: America's Next Weatherman |
| 2013 | Heather Wells[15] | Warren | 23 | Miss Montgomery County | Dance, "Alabaster Box" | |||
| 2012 | Elissa McCracken | Ada[16] | 20 | Miss West Central Ohio | Piano, "Cumana" | |||
| 2011 | Ellen Bryan | Celina | 22 | Miss Clayland | Vocal, "On My Way" fromViolet | Quality of Life Award Finalist | ||
| 2010 | Becky Minger | Sylvania | 22 | Miss All-American City | Vocal, "A House Is Not a Home" | Top 10 atNational Sweetheart 2008 and 2009 pageants 3rd runner-up inMiss Ohio USA 2012 pageant[citation needed] 4th runner-up inMiss Ohio USA 2013 pageant | ||
| 2009 | Erica Gelhaus | St. Henry | 21 | Miss Clayland | Classical Vocal, "So Anch'io la Virtu Magica" fromDon Pasquale | PreviouslyNational Sweetheart 2007 | ||
| 2008 | Karissa Martin | Woodsfield | 20 | Vocal, "The Girl in 14-G" | ||||
| 2007 | Roberta Camp | Grove City | 23 | Miss Maple City | Vocal, "Blessed" | Top 15 Miss Ohio USA 2006 | ||
| 2006 | Melanie Murphy[17] | Brook Park | 20 | Miss Miami Valley | Dance, "Pump It" | Later Mrs. Ohio America 2011 under married name, Melanie Miller | ||
| 2005 | Marlia Fontaine | Massillon | 23 | Miss Lake Erie | Vocal, "The Impossible Dream" | |||
| 2004 | Amanda Beagle | Warren | 24 | Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo'" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Top 10 atNational Sweetheart 2003 pageant | ||
| 2003 | Janelle Couts | Akron | 22 | Miss Medina | Vocal, "When I Look at You" fromThe Scarlet Pimpernel | |||
| 2002 | Tiffany Haas | Cincinnati | 20 | Miss Heart of it All | Classical Vocal, "Glitter and Be Gay" fromCandide | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Later starred as Glinda in Broadway and national touring productions ofWicked[18] | |
| 2001 | Natalie Witwer | Dublin | 19 | Miss Ashland | Piano, "America the Beautiful" | |||
| 2000 | Stephanie Meisberger | Hopewell | 23 | Miss North Coast | Vocal, "You Do Something to Me" | Contestant atNational Sweetheart 1999 pageant | ||
| 1999 | Tiffany Baumann | Cleveland | 22 | Miss Greater Cleveland | Vocal, "But the World Goes Round" byKander and Ebb | Niece of Miss Ohio 1969,Kathrine Baumann | ||
| 1998 | Cheya Watkins | Cincinnati | 21 | Miss Southeastern Ohio | Gospel Vocal, "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" | LaterMiss Ohio USA 2000 | ||
| 1997 | Kelly Creager | Hamler | 19 | Miss Conneaut | Vocal, "Remember Me This Way" fromCasper | |||
| 1996 | Robyn Hancock | Grand Rapids | 21 | Miss Crestline | Classical Ballet en Pointe, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" fromThe Nutcracker | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1995 | Ellen Pasturzak | Portsmouth | 23 | Miss Portsmouth | Vocal, "As if We Never Said Goodbye" fromSunset Boulevard | |||
| 1994 | Lea Mack | Pickerington | 21 | Miss Pickerington-America | Vocal, "Think of Me" | Top 10 | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Previously Ohio's Junior Miss 1991 |
| 1993 | Titilayo Adedokun | Cincinnati | 20 | Miss Americana | Classical Vocal, "The Jewel Song" fromFaust | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1992 | Robin Michelle Meade | New London | 23 | Miss Mansfield | Vocal, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" | Top 10 | Leadnews anchor forHLN morning show,Morning Express with Robin Meade, since 2011[citation needed] | |
| 1991 | Renee Autherson | Newark | 21 | Miss Central Ohio | Vocal / Tap Dance, "Fabulous Feet" fromThe Tap Dance Kid | |||
| 1990 | Kristi Cooke | Marion | 22 | Miss Willard | Vocal, "Nothing" fromA Chorus Line | |||
| 1989 | Kristin Huffman | Canal Winchester | 24 | Miss Pickerington-America | Classical Vocal, "Csárdás" fromDie Fledermaus | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1988 | Sarah Ann Evans | Van Wert | 23 | Miss Pickerington-America | Vocal, "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" fromThe Phantom of the Opera | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1987 | Susan Kay Johnson | Columbus | 22 | Miss Canton | Vocal, "Believe" | |||
| 1986 | Mary Zilba | Toledo | 22 | Miss Greater Toledo | Vocal, "My Mammy" | Sister of Miss Ohio 1981, Juliana Zilba Later appeared onThe Real Housewives of Vancouver[19] | ||
| 1985 | Suellen Cochran | Heath | 21 | Miss Southeastern Ohio | Piano, "Variations on Chopsticks" | Top 10 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1984 | Melissa Ann Bradley | Mansfield | 23 | Miss Clayland | Vocal, "A Piece of Sky" fromYentl | 1st runner-up | Mother of actor,Chad Buchanan[citation needed] | |
| 1983 | Pamela Helean Rigas | Canfield | 22 | Miss Cuyahoga County Fair | Vocal / Dance, "Shine it On" | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Previously Ohio's Junior Miss 1978 PreviouslyMiss Alabama USA 1980 3rd runner-up atMiss USA 1980 pageant |
| 1982 | Debra Gombert | Bexley | 22 | Miss North Central | Semi-classical Vocal, "Love Is Where You Find It" | |||
| 1981 | Juliana Zilba | Mansfield | 21 | Vocal Medley, "Up the Ladder to the Roof" & "With One More Look at You" fromA Star Is Born | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship Non-finalist Talent Award | Sister of Miss Ohio 1986,Mary Zilba | ||
| 1980 | Kathy Vernon | Youngstown | 24 | Miss North Central | Vocal Medley, "I Have Dreamed" & "I Loved You Once in Silence" | Top 10 | ||
| 1979 | Tana Carli | Lakewood | 23 | Miss Willard | Accordion Medley, "Tea for Two" & "Dizzy Fingers" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1978 | Sher Patrick | Centerville | 19 | Miss South Central | Middle-Eastern Dance | 3rd runner-up | ||
| 1977 | Joan Gilger | Mansfield | 21 | Miss Bowling Green | Gymnastic Trampoline | Did not compete; originally 4th runner-up; later assumed the title after Perkins won Miss America 1978 | ||
| Susan Perkins | Middletown | 23 | Miss Clayland | Vocal, "Good Morning Heartache" | Winner[20] | Preliminary Talent Award | Judge for the preliminary competition of theMiss America 2018 pageant[21] | |
| 1976 | Janice Cooley | Portsmouth | 20 | Miss Ohio Valley | Piano, "Mephisto Waltz" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1975 | Susan Banks | Ravenna | 24 | Miss Warren | Classical Vocal, "Sempre libera" fromLa traviata | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1974 | Lorrie Kapsta | Columbus | 26 | Miss Franklin County | Classical Piano, "Piano Concerto in B Minor" by Tchaikovsky | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1973 | Cheryl Yourkvitch | Lorain | 21 | Miss Lorain County | Vocal Medley | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1972 | Karen Sparka | Bowling Green | 21 | Miss Bowling Green | Vocal Medley, "My Man" & "My Man's Gone Now" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1971 | Judy Jones | West Alexandria | 19 | Miss Miami University | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Schaefer won Miss America 1972 | |||
| Laurie Lea Schaefer | Bexley | 22 | Miss Central Ohio | Semi-classical Vocal, "And This Is My Beloved" | Winner[22] | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | ||
| 1970 | Grace Bird | Alliance | 21 | Miss Alliance | French Horn & Classical Vocal, "1st Concerto for French Horn" & "Ouvre ton Coeur" fromVasco da Gama byGeorges Bizet | |||
| 1969 | Kathrine Baumann | Bowling Green | 19 | Miss Bowling Green | Gymnastics Dance, "Those Were the Days" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award Preliminary Talent Award | Aunt of Miss Ohio 1999, Tiffany Baumann |
| 1968 | Leslyn Hiple | Louisville | 19 | Miss Canton | Vocal Medley, "If My Friends Could See Me Now" & "I'm a Brass Band" fromSweet Charity | |||
| 1967 | Pamela Robinson | Dayton | 22 | Miss Dayton | Vocal, "Oh, to Be a Movie Star" fromThe Apple Tree | Previously Ohio's Junior Miss 1963 3rd runner-up atAmerica's Junior Miss 1963 pageant | ||
| 1966 | Sharon Phillian | Delaware | 21 | Miss Delaware | Vocal Medley, "This Is My Country" & "Où va la jeune Hindoue" fromLakme | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | Contestant atNational Sweetheart 1965 pageant |
| 1965 | Valerie Lavin | Canton | 20 | Miss Canton | Vocal / Dance, "I Ought to Dance" | |||
| 1964 | Diane Courtwright | Columbus | 19 | Miss Columbus | Popular Vocal & Modern Jazz Dance | |||
| 1963 | Peggy Emerson | Akron | Miss Akron | Semi-classical Vocal, "And This Is my Beloved" | ||||
| 1962 | Bonne Gawronski | Toledo | 19 | Miss Toledo | Modern Jazz Interpretation of "Let There Be Drums" | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mayer won Miss America 1963 | ||
| Jacquelyn Mayer | Sandusky | 20 | Miss Vacationland[23] | Broadway Vignette, "Wishing Upon a Star," "My Favorite Things," & "The White Cliffs of Dover" | Winner[24] | Had a near-fatalstroke at the age of 28[citation needed] | ||
| 1961 | Darlene Depasquale | Dayton | 18 | Miss Dayton | Comedy Skit, "Betty at the Baseball Game" | |||
| 1960 | Alice McClain | Marion | 18 | Miss Marion | Vocal, "Summertime" & "I Got Plenty of Nothin" | |||
| 1959 | Carole Weiler | Circleville | 18 | Miss Circleville | Dramatic Reading | |||
| 1958 | Margaret Putman | Ada | Miss Ada | Dramatic Sketch, "Student Nurse" | ||||
| 1957 | Linda Hattman | Mansfield | Miss Mansfield | Ballet | ||||
| 1956 | Roberta Palmer | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Vocal, "On the Street Where You Live" fromMy Fair Lady | Mother ofMatthew Porretta[citation needed] | |||
| 1955 | Marguerite Garr | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Vocal & Zither, "Old Black Joe" | ||||
| 1954 | Barbara Quinlin | Alliance | Miss Alliance | Classical Vocal, "Habanera" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1953 | Martha Zimmerman | Salem | Miss Salem | Drama / Piano | ||||
| 1952 | Carol Koontz | Bolivar | Miss Bolivar | Fire Baton Twirling & Clarinet | ||||
| 1951 | Ruth Howell | Apple Creek | Miss Apple Creek | Drama | ||||
| 1950 | Irene Farren | Grand River | Miss Grand River | Fashion Design | ||||
| 1949 | Florence Bondi | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | |||||
| 1948 | Maxine Waack | Fairview | Miss Fairview | Rumba Dance | ||||
| 1947 | Nancy Nesbitt | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Vocal, "I Don't Know Enough About You" | ||||
| 1946 | LaVonne Bond | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Vocal, "Thine Alone" fromEileen | Top 16 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||
| Mary Eileen Kelly | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | ||||||
| 1945 | Julia Donahue | Oxford | Miss Ohio | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Virginia Lee Pleasant | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | ||||||
| 1944 | Madeline Bohanon | Competed under local title at national pageant | ||||||
| 1943 | Joan Hyldoft | Ice Skating | Preliminary Talent Award | |||||
| 1942 | Barbara Patterson | Preliminary Talent Award | ||||||
| 1941 | Lois Jean Beck | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Janice Sulzman | Willoughby | Miss Ohio | Top 15 | |||||
| 1940 | Violet Berze | Steubenville | Miss Ohio | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Bette Jane Hart | Miss Central Ohio | |||||||
| 1939 | Maxine Drumm | Miss East Ohio | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
| Jeanne Saboda | Cleveland | Miss Ohio | ||||||
| 1938 | Evelyn Bertelsbeck | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Top 15 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||
| Marilyn Meseke | Marion | 21 | Miss Ohio | Tap Dance, "How'd You Like to Love Me," "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise," & "Joseph, Joseph" | Winner | |||
| 1937 | Jean Fadden | Cleveland | Miss Ohio | Top 16 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||
| Sally Lillian Frank | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | ||||||
| Evelyn Townley | Miss Buckeye Lake | Top 16 | ||||||
| 1936 | Dorothy A. Duncan | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Evelyn Townley | Miss Buckeye Lake | Acrobatic Dance | Top 15 | |||||
| 1935 | Beatrice Pfeiffer | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Vocal | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||
| Eleanore Papin | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | ||||||
| 1934 | No national pageant was held[25] | |||||||
| 1933 | Corinne Porter | 18 | Miss Ohio | Top 18 | ||||
| 1932 | No national pageants were held[25] | |||||||
| 1931 | ||||||||
| 1930 | ||||||||
| 1929 | ||||||||
| 1928 | ||||||||
| 1927 | Erma Shorwood Steele | Miss Canton | N/A[26] | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Evelyn Wilgus | Russells Point | Miss Ohio | ||||||
| 1925 | Elsie Connor | Miss Cleveland | Top 15 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Elarka Towne | Conneaut | Miss Ohio | ||||||
| Emilia Kaniewska | Miss Toledo | |||||||
| Isabel Robertson | Miss Youngstown | |||||||
| 1924 | Mary Katherine Campbell | Columbus | 17 | Miss America 1922 and1923 | 1st runner-up | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||
| Lenore O'Ryan | Miss Columbus | |||||||
| Pauline James | Miss Youngstown | Top 15 | ||||||
| 1923 | Thelma Boyd[27] | Akron | Miss Akron | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Mary Katherine Campbell[28] | Columbus | 16 | Miss America 1922 | Winner[29] | Competed asMiss America 1922 Successfully defended her title, the only woman to win the national pageant twice[29] | |||
| Olga Emrick[28] | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
| Mary Jane Clark[28] | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | ||||||
| Genevieve Mambourg[28] | Columbus | Miss Columbus | ||||||
| 1922 | Doris Widdersheim[30] | Akron | Miss Akron | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Leile Charles[31] | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Intercity Roller Chair Parade Third Prize[32] | |||||
| Mary Katherine Campbell[33] | Columbus | 15[34] | Miss Columbus | Winner[35] | Intercity Beauty Award[36] Evening Dress Award Third Prize[37] | |||
| Helen Frances Smith[38] | Dayton | Miss Dayton | ||||||
| Loraine Foskey[39] | Toledo | Miss Toledo | ||||||
| 1921 | No Ohio representative at Miss America pageant[40] | |||||||
Hider was the 2008 Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen state titleholder.
Miss Widdersheim...was recently selected as Akron's prize beauty
Media related toMiss Ohio titleholders at Wikimedia Commons