Oklahoma's Olivia Jordan reacts after she was crowned Miss USA 2015 by reigning Miss USA 2014 titleholder Nia Sanchez of Nevada
Miss USA 2015 crowning moment
Miss USA 2015 Top 5
Baton Rouge, Louisiana - In an eventful year where the contest is in hot water and history unfolding, 26-year-old Olivia Jordan from the city of Tulsa was crowned Miss USA 2015. She was the 64th woman to be crowned Miss USA on Sunday, July 12 at the Baton Rouge River Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is the first Miss USA title for her home state of Oklahoma. She beats 50 other contestants including the District of Columbia to earn the right to represent the United States at the upcoming Miss Universe 2015. Jordan said that the diversity of the country needs to forge stronger racial relationship and unity is needed for the country to move on to progress is the next thing she wants to be tackled after the same sex marriage and the Confederate flag issue in America. 1st runner-up went to 22-year-old Ylianna Guerra of Texas, 2nd runner-up is Cranston, Rhode Island native 20-year-old Anea Garcia, 3rd runner-up went to 25-year-old Brittany McGowan of Las Vegas, Nevada and 4th runner-up went to 23-year-old Mamé Adjei from Silver Spring, Maryland.
However, one of the biggest news of the night is the surprising placement of Delaware's Renee Bull in the Top 11 of the competition. She had broken the 64-year curse or drought of her home state Delaware in the Miss USA pageant. She also shared the Congeniality award with Alaska's Kimberly Agron which is only the second time in Miss USA history to have a tie (the first one being in 1965). Photogenic award went to Indiana's Gretchen Reece. The all-beauty queen line up of judges include Miss Universe 1992 Michelle Mclean from Namibia, Miss USA 1997 and Miss Universe 1997 Brook Lee, Miss USA 1999 Kimberly Ann Pressler, Miss USA 1999, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih, Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes of Angola, Miss Teen USA 2011 Danielle Doty and Miss USA 2012 Nana Meriwether.
Earlier, a twist called Save The Sash allowed fans to vote online (through www.missusa.com/play) a particular contestant who did not made it past the top 10 to be saved and put her through the Top 11 for the evening gown competition. A lucky fan question submitted through Miss USA official Facebook page or an Instagram video using the hashtag #askmissusa was used to ask the Top 5 for their final question.
The pageant came under the fire after Donald Trump made a harsh remark against Mexican illegal immigrants and some are even referred to as drug traffickers and rapists. The backlash is so strong that Miss USA official broadcast partners, media networks NBC and Spanish-language, American television broadcast network Univision primarily catering to the Latino community in the United States backed out from broadcasting the finals of Miss USA 2015 and the upcoming Miss Universe 2015. Soon the sentiments were echoed by the hosts, judges and performers that they all withdrew from participating in the said competition. Pageant organizers are rushing up to find replacements with the Reelz Channel, an Albuquerque-based digital cable network stepped in to air the show while Todd Newton and former Miss Wisconsin USA 2009 Alex Wehrley hosted the show replacing the original hosts Thomas Roberts and Cheryl Burke while Julie Alexandria serve as the backstage host replacing Jeannie Mai who earlier deflected from the show. Travis Garland, Stefano Langone, Felicia Barton, Antoinette Scruggs and Adley Stumps performed in the show.
Miss USA 2015 – Olivia Jordan – Oklahoma
1st runner-up - Ylianna Guerra – Texas
2nd runner-up – Anea Garcia – Rhode Island
3rd runner-up – Brittany McGowan – Nevada
4th runner-up – Mamé Adjei – Maryland
Top 11 Semifinalists
Alabama - Madison Guthrie
Delaware - Reneé Bull
Hawaii - Emma Wo
Kentucky - Katie George (chosen by public fan vote online)
Louisiana - Candice Bennatt
Top 15 Quarter-finalists
Arizona - Maureen Montagne
Illinois - Renee Wronecki
New York - Thatiana Diaz
Virginia - Laura Puleo
Special Awards:
Congeniality (tie) – Kimberly Agron, Alaska
Renee Bull, Delaware
Photogenic – Gretchen Reece, Indiana
Judges:
Nana Meriwether – Miss USA 2012 from Maryland
Danielle Doty – Miss Teen USA 2011 from Texas
Leila Lopes – Miss Universe 2011 from Angola
Rima Fakih – Miss USA 2010 from Michigan
Crystle Stewart – Miss USA 2008 from Texas
Tara Conner – Miss USA 2006 from Kentucky
Kimberly Pressler – Miss USA 1999 from New York
Brook Lee – Miss Universe 1997 from USA
Michelle McLean – Miss Universe 1992 from Namibia
Host:
Todd Newton - game show host
Alex Wehrley - former Miss Wisconsin USA 2009, host
Color Commentator / Backstage Host:
Julie Alexandria
Performers:
Travis Garland
Stefano Langone
Felicia Barton
Antoinette Scruggs
Adley Stumps
Photo Source:
Derick E. Hingle, AP