Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert, 22, claimed the Miss USA crown on Friday night, marking the start of what organisers are calling a “new era” for the long-running pageant. The contest, held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, closed out 18 months of upheaval with a carefully staged show of optimism and glitter.
Eckert, a digital safety advocate and former cheerleader, beat 50 contestants to the title. Ivy Harrington of New Jersey and Chantéa McIntyre of Oregon took first and second runner-up. She fell to her knees when her name was called, swallowed by gold streamers and applause.
It was a symbolic reset for a brand still bruised by controversy. Last year’s Miss USA, Noelia Voigt, resigned in protest, citing a toxic culture and what she described as bullying and harassment behind the scenes. Her cryptic resignation letter — spelling “I am silenced” through its first letters — set off a storm of speculation and led to an overhaul of leadership.
The pageant’s new owner, Thom Brodeur, acquired the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA licenses from the Miss Universe Organization earlier this year. He now serves as president and CEO, following months of lawsuits and counterclaims between the previous administration and Miss Universe’s Thai parent company, JKN Global Group. Brodeur has promised transparency and reform, including removing restrictive non-disclosure agreements that silenced past winners.
Friday’s finale wrapped up a week of events from swimwear showcases to Q&As, where contestants faced questions on media representation and artificial intelligence. Notably, this year’s competition scrapped age, marriage, and motherhood restrictions, allowing a wider range of women to compete — including 44-year-old Tetra Shockley of Delaware, the oldest contestant in Miss USA history, and MonaLesa Brackett of New Hampshire, the first to wear a hijab.
For the first time since 1963, the show wasn’t televised, instead streamed on a specialist platform for pageant fans. Former Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig crowned Eckert, while Noelia Voigt returned as co-host — a subtle nod to reconciliation amid renewal.
Eckert now moves on to represent the United States at Miss Universe in Thailand next month. For Miss USA, the message is clear: rebuild trust, reclaim glamour, and start again.
Last modified: October 26, 2025
