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Miss America 2007
Date	January 29, 2007
Presenters	Mario Lopez
Venue	Aladdin Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Broadcaster	CMT
Winner	Lauren Nelson Oklahoma
←  2006 2008 →

Miss America 2007, the 80th Miss America pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada on Monday, January 29, 2007, making it the first time that the pageant was held on a weekday, rather than the traditional Saturday since 1927's contest.

The pageant was broadcast live on CMT from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Aladdin Resort and Casino, only the second time that the pageant has been held outside Atlantic City.

At the conclusion of the final night of competition, outgoing titleholder Jennifer Berry crowned Lauren Nelson as her successor. Both titleholders are from Oklahoma, only the second occurrence of two consecutive winners from one state. The last time that two titleholders from the same state won in consecutive years was 1959 and 1960, when Mississippi did the honor.

Selection of contestants

One delegate from each state was chosen in state pageants held in mid-2006. Prior to competing in state pageants, the majority of delegates first were required to win a local title. Each delegates title is pre-dated to 2006, for example Melinda Toole is "Miss Alabama 2006" rather than "Miss Alabama 2007".

Many contestants competed in state pageants in both the Miss America and Miss USA systems numerous times before winning titles, and some had previously in other states to those which they won their state title.

All contestants were required to be between the ages of 17–24, unmarried and a citizen of the United States. They were also required to meet residency and education requirements.

Competition

All delegates compete in an interview competition with the judges, based on their platform issue, and also in the swimsuit, evening gown and talent competitions.

Prior to the nationally televised competition, the delegates participate in three nights of preliminary competition, where preliminary award winners are chosen in each category.

During the final telecast, following the announcement of the semi-finalists, the top ten compete in swimsuit and evening gown. The top five go on to compete in the talent competition, and the top three face a final interview round.

Results

Placements

Awards

Preliminary awards

Quality of Life awards

Other awards

Judges

The six judges for the competition were: ^[2]

• Entertainer, Debbie Allen
• Photographer and television personality, Nigel Barker
• Actress and Miss Florida 1974, Delta Burke
• Musician, Michael Feinstein
• Television personality, Chris Matthews
• Television personality and Miss America 1981, Susan Powell

Contestants

State	Name	Hometown	Age1	Talent	Placement	Awards	Notes
Alabama	Melinda Toole	Birmingham	23	Vocal	4th runner-up	Miss Congeniality Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up
Alaska	Stephanie Wonchala	Eagle River	21	Piano
Arizona	Hilary Griffith	Glendale	21	Vocal		Quality of Life Award 1st runner-up	Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2005 pageant
Arkansas	Amber Bennett	Carlisle	23	Vocal
California	Jacquelynne Fontaine	Moorpark	24	Operatic Vocal	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award
Colorado	Janie Allen	Arvada	23	Piano
Connecticut	Heidi Alice Voight	New Haven	24	Vocal
Delaware	Jamie Ginn	Wilmington	25	Dance			4th runner-up at National Sweetheart 2005 pageant
District of Columbia	Kate Michael	Washington, D.C.	24	Dance			2nd runner-up at Miss District of Columbia USA 2008 pageant
Florida	Allison Kreiger	Miami	23	Dance / Twirl			Later Miss Florida USA 06
Georgia	Amanda Kozak	Warner Robins	22	Tap Dance	2nd runner-up	Quality of Life Award Finalist	1st runner-up at National Sweetheart 2005 pageant Later Miss Georgia USA 2008
Hawaii	Pilialoha Gaison	Kaneohe	23	Tahitian Dance	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award
Idaho	Katherine Crouch	Rexburg	19	Piano
Illinois	Heidi Ekstrom	Mundelein	22	Ballet
Indiana	Betsy Uschkrat	Bloomington	24	Classical Opera		Quality of Life Award Finalist
Iowa	Emily Nicholas	Clear Lake	21	Vocal
Kansas	Michelle Walthers	Towanda	21	Vocal
Kentucky	Rachelle Phillips	Princeton	24	Vocal
Louisiana	Jamie Wilson	Minden	23	Vocal
Maine	Karissa Staples	Biddeford	19	Vocal
Maryland	Brittany Lietz	Edgewater	21	Dance
Massachusetts	Michaela Gagne	Fall River	24	Vocal
Michigan	Angela Corsi	Farmington Hills	24	Contemporary Ballet En Pointe		Quality of Life Award Finalist	3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2005 pageant
Minnesota	Nicole Swanson	Lakeville	24	Classical Viola		Non-finalist Talent Award
Mississippi	Taryn Foshee	Clinton	21	Piano	3rd runner-up
Missouri	Sarah French	Columbia	21	Vocal			Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2004
Montana	Christie Hageman	Billings	23	Vocal
Nebraska	Molly McGrath	Omaha	23	Dance		Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Previously Nebraska's Junior Miss 2001
Nevada	Caydi Cole	Las Vegas	22	Vocal			Previously Nevada's Junior Miss 2003
New Hampshire	Emily Hughes	Gilmanton	23	Tap Dance
New Jersey	Georgine DiMaria	Lodi	22	Violin			Georgine M. DiMaria died at home in Lodi, N.J. at age 37 on August 28, 2021.
New Mexico	Christina Hall	Albuquerque	23	Vocal
New York	Bethlene Pancoast	Brooklyn	24	Tap Dance		Non-finalist Talent Award
North Carolina	Elizabeth Horton	High Point	23	Vocal
North Dakota	Annette Olson	Baldwin	23	Vocal
Ohio	Melanie Murphy	Brook Park	20	Dance
Oklahoma	Lauren Nelson	Lawton	20	Vocal, "You'll Be In My Heart"	Winner [1]	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Previously Oklahoma Teen 2004
Oregon	Donilee McGinnis	Scappoose	24	Tap Dance
Pennsylvania	Emily Wills	Beaver	24	Vocal	Top 10	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Previously Pennsylvania's Jr. Miss 2001 2nd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2005 pageant
Rhode Island	Allison Rogers	Providence	25	Piano		Quality of Life Award Winner
South Carolina	Shelley Benthall	Florence	21	Vocal		Non-finalist Talent Award	Previously Miss South Carolina's Teen 2003
South Dakota	Callee Bauman	Huron	21	Vocal
Tennessee	Blaire Pancake	Chattanooga	24	Vocal
Texas	Shilah Precious Phillips	Plano	25	Vocal	1st runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award
Utah	Katie Millar	Highland	20	Violin	Top 10
Vermont	Sarah Watson	Enosburgh	20	Piano		Non-finalist Talent Award
Virginia	Adrianna Sgarlata	Fairfax Station	24	Vocal		Quality of Life Award Finalist
Virgin Islands	Stacy Smith		24	Steel Pan / Vocal
Washington	Kristen Eddings	Silverdale	20	Vocal	Top 10
West Virginia	Tiffany Lawrence	Shepherdstown	24	Vocal
Wisconsin	Meghan Marie Coffey	New Berlin	22	Dance
Wyoming	Jenileigh Sawatzke	Cheyenne	24	Aerial Artist

• ¹ Age as of January 2007

Crossovers

Unusually, no former Miss USA delegates competed in this pageant, although Sarah French, formerly Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2004 (and Miss Photogenic at Miss Teen USA) competed as Miss Missouri. Later on Amanda Kozak, Miss Georgia won the Miss Georgia USA 2008 title and competed at Miss USA 2008.

References

External links

• Miss America official website