Miss USA 2003

52nd Miss USA pageant
  • Billy Bush
  • Daisy Fuentes
VenueSan Antonio Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TexasBroadcaster
  • NBC
  • WOAI-TV
Entrants51Placements10WinnerSusie Castillo
MassachusettsCongenialityBreann Parriott
WashingtonPhotogenicSarah Cahill
Minnesota
← 2002
2004 →

Miss USA 2003 was the 52nd Miss USA pageant, held at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas on March 24, 2003.[1] It was the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island. This was the first Miss USA to be broadcast on NBC, replacing CBS, which had broadcast the pageant since 1963.[2]

The pageant was won by Susie Castillo of Massachusetts, who was crowned by outgoing queen Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia.[1] The format reverted to a Top Ten who competed in swimsuit and evening gown,[1] although, as with 2002, there was no interview competition for the semi-finalists.

Daisy Fuentes co-hosted the event for the first time (although she had been a color commentator in 1995), joined by Billy Bush, who would also host the 2004 and 2005 events, as well as the Miss Universe pageants all three years. Color commentary was added by the reigning Miss USA Shauntay Hinton. Entertainment was provided by Burn The Floor.

The judges included future first lady Melania Knauss, soap-opera star Kristian Alfonso, football player Warren Sapp, actor Mekhi Phifer and former astronaut John Blaha.[3]

Results

Map showing placements by state

Placements

Final Results Contestant
Miss USA 2003
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
  • Texas – Nicole O'Brian[3]
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Special awards

Award Contestant
Miss Congeniality
Miss Photogenic

Contestants

Fifty-one contestants competed for the title.

State Contestant Hometown Age[a] Notes
Alabama Michelle Arnette Dothan 25
Alaska Stacey Storey Eagle River 25 Previously Miss Alaska 1995
Arizona Nafeesa DeFlorias Phoenix 26
Arkansas Taylor Carlisle Jacksonville 21
California Candice Sanders La Habra 26
Colorado Erin Caperton MacGregor Denver 26 Previously Miss Colorado 1999
Connecticut Michelle LaFrance Orange 24
Delaware Cheryl Lynn Crowe Felton 24 Previously Miss Delaware Teen USA 1997
District of Columbia Michelle Dollie Wright Washington, DC 26 Previously Miss District of Columbia Teen USA 1995
Florida Carrie Mewha Fort Lauderdale 24
Georgia Erin Haney Atlanta 22
Hawaii Alicia Malia Michioka Kapaa 24 Sister of Justine Michioka, Miss Hawaii USA 2004
Later Mrs. Hawaii United States 2004 and 1st Runner up at Mrs. United States 2004.
Idaho Lana Wright Pocatello 25
Illinois Agnieszka Zakreta Rolling Meadows 24 Previously Miss Tourism International 1999 as Poland's representative
Indiana Tashina Brooke Kastigar West Terre Haute 22 Previously Miss Indiana Teen USA 1998
Iowa Linsey Grams Urbandale 20
Kansas Alicia Angelina Cabrera Leawood 24
Kentucky Lori Mitchell Scottsville 21
Louisiana Brittney Rogers Shreveport 20 Later competed in Fear Factor and won
She and her family competed on The Amazing Race: Family Edition and finished 9th
Maine Lacey Hutchinson Biddeford 23
Maryland Jaime Kramer Pasadena 19
Massachusetts Susie Castillo Lawrence 23 Previously Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998
Michigan Elisa Kathleen Schleef St. Joseph 23
Minnesota Sarah Cahill Waseca 24 Previously Miss Minnesota Teen USA 1996
Mississippi Allison Bloodworth Grenada 21 Previously Miss Mississippi Teen USA 1999
Missouri Tara Bollinger Chesterfield 23
Montana Megan Monroe Missoula 22
Nebraska Jessica Perea Omaha 22
Nevada Ashley Huff Henderson 22 Previously Miss Nevada 2001
New Hampshire Rachael Ribeck Londonderry 24
New Jersey Vanessa Baker Marlton 23
New Mexico Alina Ogle Albuquerque 21 Previously Miss New Mexico Teen USA 1999
New York Nadia Behette Bay Ridge 25
North Carolina Kristen Luneberg Durham 22 Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1998
North Dakota Samantha Edwards Fargo 23
Ohio Candace Smith Dayton 26 Later contestant on Survivor: Tocantins
Oklahoma Star Williams Tulsa 22
Oregon Myah Moore Portland 21
Pennsylvania Camille Young Philadelphia 23
Rhode Island Krisily Kennedy Warwick 23 Later contestant of Season 7 on The Bachelor
Later contestant on the first season of Bachelor Pad.
South Carolina Anna Hanks Belton 21
South Dakota Jessica Lawrence Brookings 25 Later Mrs. Iowa America 2015
Tennessee Beth Hood Cleveland 24 Previously Miss Tennessee 2000
Texas Nicole O'Brian Friendswood 20 Previously Miss Texas Teen USA 2000
Later competed in The Amazing Race 5 with her teammate and former boyfriend Brandon Davidson.
Utah Kelly Chapman South Jordan 24
Vermont Jennifer Ripley Burlington 20 Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 1999
Later Mrs. Vermont America 2009
Virginia Mimi Abraham Alexandria 24
Washington Breann Parriott Puyallup 25 Previously Miss Washington 2001
West Virginia Amy Thomason Buckhannon 24
Wisconsin Judy Eckerle Milwaukee 26
Wyoming Jamie Gorman Cheyenne 22

Judges

Notes

  1. ^ Ages at the time of the pageant

References

  1. ^ a b c "Castillo crowned Miss USA". Leader-Telegram. Associated Press. March 25, 2003. p. 10. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Miss USA pageant leaves CBS for NBC". Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. 24 March 2003. p. 2E. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Badger, T. A. (25 March 2003). "Miss Massachusetts crowned Miss USA 2003". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved 18 August 2024.