Miss usa pageant contestants Miss USA crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert the winner as scandal-hit pageant heralds ‘new era’
Audrey Eckert of Nebraska was crowned Miss USA on Friday, as the controversy-plagued annual pageant returned to new owners.
The 22-year-old digital security professional beat out 50 other contestants at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, to win the crown. Ivy Harrington of New Jersey and Chantia McIntyre of Oregon were the first and second runners-up, respectively.
The event marked the culmination of a tumultuous nearly 18 months for the long-running pageant, which underwent a major leadership change after Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt of Utah resigned amid allegations of misconduct.
Friday’s closing ceremony marked the beginning of a “new era” for the event, as its new organizers described it as the start of five days of events, including swimwear competitions, an evening dress parade, and a Q&A with the judges.
Eckert, a former cheerleader and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, fell to her knees in emotional shock amid a shower of golden flags when her victory was announced.
In a break from tradition, last year’s winner, Alma Cooper of Michigan, who was not present, was crowned by reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjaer Thalwig. Meanwhile, Voigt made a surprise return to the pageant as a host for the official online broadcast and co-hosted one of the preliminary competitions on Wednesday.
The Miss USA pageant was mired in controversy last May when Voigt and then-Miss Teen USA, Uma Sophia Srivastava, resigned within days of each other. Voigt initially attributed her decision to mental health concerns, but social media users noticed that the first 11 sentences of her cryptic post included “I am silent,” sparking rumors of a strict confidentiality agreement.
Her resignation letter, later seen by CNN, alleged a “toxic work environment” that amounted to “poor management at best, and bullying and harassment at worst.” Voigt also claimed that the pageant’s organizers failed to provide an “effective handler,” resulting in her being sexually assaulted during a Christmas parade in Florida while she was alone in a car with an unknown man. Lela Rose, then president of Miss USA, has consistently denied these allegations.
Last month, American businessman Thom Brodeur announced that he had acquired the rights to Miss USA and Miss Teen USA from the Miss Universe Organization, which controls both licenses. Under a 10-year agreement, she was to serve as president and CEO of Miss USA, but Rose—who still posts via the pageant’s official Instagram account—denied this, writing in a since-deleted post that she had not seen “any new contract related to any transfer of ownership.”
The Miss Universe Organization later issued a statement confirming Brodeur’s acquisition and calling it a “new chapter” in the pageant’s “beautiful history.” Miss Universe co-owner JKN Global Group subsequently filed a lawsuit against Rose’s company, VVV Global, alleging that the company had breached its contract and “discredited” the Miss USA brand. The lawsuit also reiterated Voigt’s earlier claims, accusing Rose of “mistreating pageant participants, winners, employees, and volunteers.”
In a statement emailed to CNN by Rose, VVV Global said it remains “committed to the pageant industry” and “looks forward to receiving the full 12-year licensing agreement for the pageants, as promised to JKN.” The company has also filed a counterclaim denying the allegations of wrongdoing, claiming damages and lost profits of over $116 million.
Nearly a week after JKN’s complaint was filed, Brodeur wrote on Instagram that he had “officially regained access” to Miss USA’s social media accounts. The businessman and founder of Brodeur Beauty declined CNN’s request for comment on his stance on the pageant, though he had previously attempted to explain recent events. Speaking to People magazine last month about the resignations of Voight Voigt and Srivastava, he said: “Some extremely harsh language from the NDA silenced those two young women and denied them the opportunity to speak about their journey. I want that ban lifted.”
Founded in 1952, the Miss USA Organization has undergone several leadership changes in recent years. Donald Trump owned the pageant as well as the Miss Universe Organization from 1996 until 2015, when he sold both to WME-IMG. JKN Global Group, a conglomerate founded by Thai businessman Jakkaphong Jakarajutatip, will hold both the Miss Universe and Miss USA titles in 2022.
Prior to Rose’s appointment, former Miss USA Crystle Stewart held the US beauty pageant’s license, although she was embroiled in a scandal involving allegations of favoritism toward 2022 winner R’Bonnie Gabriel.