Miss Minnesota

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Minnesota USA.

See also: Princess Kay of the Milky Way

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 winner was Gretchen Carlson in 1989.

Miss Minnesota

Formation	1925
Type	Beauty pageant
Headquarters	Cottage Grove
Location	Minnesota
Membership	Miss America
Official language	English
Website	Official website

Emily Schumacher, Miss Minnesota 2024

Dorothy Benham,
Miss Minnesota 1976 and Miss America 1977

Gretchen Carlson,
Miss Minnesota 1988 and Miss America 1989

Emily Schumacher of Mankato was crowned Miss Minnesota 2024 on June 21, 2024. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Minnesota 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.

Placements

• Miss America: BeBe Shopp (1948), Dorothy Benham (1977), Gretchen Carlson (1989)
• 1st runners-up: Elaine Campbell (1947)
• 2nd runners-up: N/A
• 3rd runners-up: Lauren Susan Green (1985)
• 4th runners-up: Arlene Anderson (1945), Nancee Parkinson (1962), Barbara Hasselberg (1965), Judy Mendenhall (1970), Rebecca Yeh (2014)
• Top 10: Florence Hunton (1943), Charlotte Sims (1968), Sheila Bernhagen (1972), Laurie Saarinen (1983)
• Top 12: Patricia Cummings (1944)
• Top 15: Lucille McGinty (1925), Marion Rudeen (1939), Gloria Burkhart (1949), Michaelene Karlen (2019)

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: BeBe Shopp (1948), Nancee Parkinson (1962), Judy Mendenhall (1970), Dorothy Benham (1977), Sue Erickson (1979), Debra Goodwin (1981)
• Preliminary Talent: Marion Rudeen (1939), Arlene Anderson (1945), Elaine Campbell (1947), Gloria Burkhart (1949), Barbara Hasselberg (1965), Judy Mendenhall (1970), Dorothy Benham (1977), Lauren Susan Green (1985), Gretchen Carlson (1989), Rebecca Yeh (2014), Brianna Drevlow (2018)

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Talent: Keri Thorne (1976), Debra Goodwin (1981), Jo Bender (1993), Shawna Deeann Stoltenberg (1994), Jennifer Ostergaard (1998), Karyn Stordahl (2006), Nicole Swanson (2007), Brooke Kilgarriff (2010), Kathryn Knuttila (2011), Brianna Drevlow (2018)

Other awards

• Miss Congeniality: Madeline Van Ert (2017)
• Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award: Kathryn Knuttila (2011), Rebecca Yeh (2014)
• Quality of Life Award Winners: Jennifer Ostergaard (1998)
• Quality of Life Award Finalists: Jennifer Hudspeth (2008), Brooke Kilgarriff (2010), Kathryn Knuttila (2011), Natalie Davis (2012), Brianna Drevlow (2018)
• STEM Scholarship Finalist: Gabrielle "Elle" Mark (2022)
• Waterford Business Management & Marketing Award: Paula Knoll (1996)

Winners

•   Declared as winner
•   Ended as a runner-up
•   Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2025	Emma Vrieze		20	Miss Glacial Waters	TBA	TBA	TBA
2024	Emily Rae Schumacher	Mankato	24	Miss Mankato	Dance "Elvis Has Left the Building”	Top 11		Previously Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2017 Older sister of Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2022, Julia Schumacher
2023	Angelina Amerigo	Woodbury	22	Miss West Central	Dance
2022	Rachel Evangelisto	Minneapolis	24	Miss Winona	Praying Mantis Kung Fu			First Native American Miss Minnesota[citation needed]
2021	Gabrielle (Elle) Louise Mark[1]	Red Wing	25	Miss St. Croix Valley	Vocal		STEM Scholarship Finalist
2019–20	Kathryn Kueppers[2]	Mendota Heights	21	Miss Coon Rapids	Vocal			Daughter of Miss Minnesota 1983, Vicki Plaster Kueppers[2] Previously Miss Minnesota Sweetheart 2018[3] Top 10 finalist at National Sweetheart 2018 pageant[3]
2018	Michaelene Karlen[4]	Kasson	23	Miss South Central	Contemporary Ballet, "Symphony No. 3" by Philip Glass	Top 15[5]
2017	Brianna Drevlow[6]	Thief River Falls	23	Miss North Star	Classical Piano, Rhapsody in Blue		Non-finalist Talent Award[7] Preliminary Talent Award[8] Quality of Life Award Finalist[9]
2016	Madeline Van Ert[10]	Rochester	19	Miss River Valley	Piano/Vocal, "What a Wonderful World"		Miss Congeniality[11]	Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2015 pageant
2015	Rachel Latuff[12]	Hastings	24	Miss Olmsted County	Contemporary Ribbon Dance, "Out of the Woods"			Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 pageant
2014	Savannah Cole[13]	Brainerd	19	Miss Southern Valley	Vocal, "The House of the Rising Sun"
2013	Rebecca Yeh[14]	Nisswa	20	Miss Northwest	Violin, "Scherzo Tarantelle" by Henryk Wieniawski	4th runner-up	Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award Preliminary Talent Award
2012	Siri Freeh[15]	Lake Park	22	Miss Northwest	Lyrical Dance, "Make Us One"
2011	Natalie Davis[16]	Dassel	21	Miss Mankato	Vocal, "Unexpected Song"		Quality of Life Award Finalist	Previously Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2006[17] Contestant at National Sweetheart 2009 pageant
2010	Kathryn Knuttila[18]	Detroit Lakes	23	Miss Twin Cities	Original Piano Composition, "Quintessence"		Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award Non-finalist Talent Award Quality of Life Award Finalist	Sister of Miss Minnesota 2001, Kari Knuttila[18]
2009	Brooke Kilgarriff	Eagan	20		Vocal, "Somebody to Love"		Non-finalist Talent Award Quality of Life Award Finalist
2008	Angela McDermott[19][20]	Austin	24		Vocal, "You Don't Own Me"
2007	Jennifer Hudspeth[21]	Apple Valley	23	Miss Mankato	Vocal, "Life of the Party" from The Wild Party		Quality of Life Award Finalist
2006	Nicole Swanson	Lakeville	24	Miss Twin Cities	Classical Viola, "Etude Speciale Opus 36, No. 29" by Jacques Féréol Mazas		Non-finalist Talent Award
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[22]
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[23]
2003	Megan Torgerson	Warren	23	Miss Coon Rapids	Classical Vocal, "Una Voce Poco Fa" from The Barber of Seville
2002	Allyson Kearns	Eden Prairie	22	Miss Twin Cities	Dance, "I Hope I Get It" from A Chorus Line
2001	Kari Knuttila	Detroit Lakes	21		Classical Piano, "Sonata in B Minor" by Liszt			Sister of Miss Minnesota 2010, Kathryn Knuttila[18]
2000	Katherine Hill	Wayzata	23		Vocal / Piano, "All by Myself"
1999	Natalie Lund	New Brighton	21	Miss Central Minnesota	Tap Dance, "Shout And Feel It"
1998	Megan West	Litchfield	22	Miss Winona	Vocal, "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love"
1997	Jennifer Ostergaard	Winona	22		Dramatic Monologue, "Clear Glass Marbles" from Talking With...		Non-finalist Talent Award Quality of Life Award
1996	Sherry Johnson	Owatonna	22		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 Kay Van Driest	Winona	23	Miss Cottage Grove	Classical Flute
1993	Shawna Deeann Stoltenberg	Coon Rapids	24	Miss Stillwater	Classical Piano		Non-finalist Talent Award
1992	Jo Bender	Rochester	23	Miss Rochester	Fiddle Medley, "Dixie," "Tennessee River," & "Orange Blossom Special"		Non-finalist Talent Award
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, "La Source" by Alphonse Hasselmans
1989	Lynne Ann Schacher	East Grand Forks	25	Miss Metropolitan	Ballet / Jazz Dance, Selections from Merrily We Roll Along
1988	Susan Johnson			Miss Mankato		Did not compete; originally second runner-up, later assumed the title after Carlson won Miss America 1988 and the first runner-up declined to take the title
	Gretchen Carlson[24]	Anoka	22	Miss Cottage Grove	Classical Violin, Zigeunerweisen	Winner	Preliminary Talent Award	Former chairwoman of the Miss America Board of Directors[25] Filed a lawsuit against then Fox News Chairman and CEO, Roger Ailes, claiming sexual harassment, which eventually was settled for $20 million[26][27] Former co-host of Fox & Friends and anchor of The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson[28]
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, assumed the title after Phyliky resigned[29][30]
	Lisa Phyliky					N/A		Resigned due to knee injury[29]
1985	Elizabeth Hunter	Austin	21	Miss Austin	Semi-classical Vocal, "Love Is Where You Find It"
1984	Lauren Green	Minneapolis	26	Miss Twin Cities	Piano, "Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor" by Frédéric Chopin	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award	First African-American Miss Minnesota[citation needed]
1983	Vicki Plaster	St. Paul	23	Miss Twin Cities	Vocal Medley, "Just You Wait" & "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady			Mother of Miss Minnesota 2019, Kathryn Kueppers[2]
1982	Laurie Saarinen	Osage	21	Miss Park Rapids	Vocal, "My Man"	Top 10		Previously Miss North Dakota USA 1981
1981	Elizabeth Ruyak	Mankato	20	Miss Mankato	Piano, Fantaisie-Impromptu by Frédéric Chopin
1980	Debra Goodwin	Austin	20	Miss Austin	Classical Piano		Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1979	Debra Ann Nerby	Rochester	24	Miss Byron	Vocal, "Who Can I Turn To?"			Debra Ann Nerby Desmonde died at age 62 after an expended illness on December 29, 2017
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 Catherine Nelson	Winona	19	Miss Winona	Classical piano	Did not compete; later assumed the title after Benham won Miss America 1977
								Later named Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest 1979 and placed fourth runner-up to Miss Wisconsin 1979 while attending UW-La Crosse.
	Dorothy Benham	Edina	20	Miss South St. Paul	Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus	Winner[31]	Preliminary Swimsuit Award Preliminary Talent Award
1975	Keri Thorne	White Bear Lake	19	Miss White Bear Lake	Flute, "Swingin' Shepherd Blues" by Moe Koffman		Non-finalist Talent Award
1974	Pam Bernhagen	Bloomington	20	Miss Bloomington	Acrobatic Jazz Ballet, "Fiddler on the Roof"			Sister of Miss Minnesota 1971, Sheila Bernhagen
1973	Joleen Benoit	Farmington	19	Miss Shakopee	Vocal / Guitar, "Danny's Song"
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		Sister of Miss Minnesota 1974, Pam Bernhagen
1970	Juliana Gabor	South St. Paul	20	Miss South St. Paul	Popular Vocal, "My Coloring Book"
1969	Judy Mendenhall	Edina	18	Miss Edina	Flute, "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	St. Paul	19	Miss Roseville	Acrobatic Dance, "Ebb Tide"	Top 10
1966	Diane Lindgren	St. Paul	19	Miss White Bear Lake	Folk Singing & Guitar
1965	Jeanne Ruth		18	Miss Saint Paul	Interpretive Jazz Dance, Selections from West Side Story
1964	Barbara Hasselberg	Bloomington	21	Miss Bloomington	Authentic Polynesian Dances, "Hawaiian War Chant"	4th runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award
1963	Sharon Carnes	St. 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 Ann Olson	Albert Lea	19	Miss Albert Lea	Modern Dance			Judith Olson Evans died at 84 on October 15, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida.
1958	Diane Albers	St. Paul		Miss Saint Paul	Piano, "Allegro de Concierto" by Enrique Granados
1957	Ardyce Gustafson				Vocal Medley from My Fair Lady
1956	Marie Miller	Winona		Miss Winona	Vocal, "Batti Batti o bel Masette" from Don Giovanni
1955	Marlyse Reed	Fairmont		Miss Fairmont	Dramatic Monologue from 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 Rose Clark	Minneapolis		Miss Minneapolis	Classical Vocal, "The Jewel Song" from Faust			Kathryn Rose Clark, a native of La Crosse, Wis., was a student the MacPhail School of Music in Minneapolis, Minn. for three years at the time of her state victory.
1950	Jeanne M. Traun		20		Vocal			Jeanne M. Traun Grace died at age 92 on January 13, 2024 after a bout with dementia.
1949	Gloria Burkhart	Minneapolis		Miss Minneapolis	Violin, Zigeunerweisen	Top 15	Preliminary Talent Award
1948	Jean Sheils			Miss Edina		N/A		Assumed the title after Shopp was named Miss America 1948
	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	St. 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				Dramatic Reading from "Désirée’s Baby"	Top 10
1942	Jane Groerner	Minneapolis
1941	Patricia Tiets
1940	Virginia Kepler
1939	Marion Rudeen	Minneapolis			Acrobatic Dance	Top 15	Preliminary Talent Award
1938	Avis Claire Darrow	Duluth
1937	Cecelia Rodge	Minneapolis
1936	Irene Martineau			Miss Minneapolis
1935	Mildred Barrett	Marshall
1934	No national pageant was held[32]
1933	No Minnesota representative at Miss America pageant[33]
1932	No national pageants were held[32]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927	Sylvia Irene Brenner	Minneapolis		Miss Minneapolis				Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1926	Florence Fuller	Duluth		Miss Duluth				Multiple Minnesota representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Helen Katherine Douglas	Minneapolis		Miss Minneapolis
1925	Lucille McGinty	Minneapolis		Miss Minneapolis		Top 15		Multiple Minnesota representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Dorothy Bastyr	St. Paul		Miss Saint Paul
1924	No Minnesota representative at Miss America pageant[34][35][36][37]
1923
1922
1921