Noelia Voigt of Utah, a 23-year-old bilingual Venezuelan-American, was crowned Miss USA 2023 on Friday night at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. She beat out 50 other state titleholders in the 72nd edition of the pageant, which marked its return to network television after several years on cable.
Voigt, who works as a social media manager and model, impressed the judges with her answer to the final question, which asked her what she would contribute to the Miss Universe Organization as a brand ambassador and Miss USA. She said she would use her platform to connect with diverse communities across the United States and promote inclusion and empowerment.
“I am so honored and grateful to represent this amazing country as Miss USA 2023,” Voigt said after receiving the crown from her predecessor, Morgan Romano of North Carolina. “I hope to inspire young women to pursue their dreams and never give up on themselves.”
Voigt will represent the United States at the Miss Universe 2023 competition, which is expected to take place later this year. She is the second woman from Utah to win the Miss USA title, following Brook Lee in 1997.
The first runner-up was Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii, who also won the best state costume award for her pineapple-inspired outfit. The second runner-up was Alexis Loomans of Wisconsin, who is a professional singer and songwriter. The third and fourth runners-up were Jasmine Daniels of Pennsylvania and Lluvia Alzate of Texas, respectively.
The pageant was hosted by Keltie Knight, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton and Jordan Kimball, and featured performances by singer-songwriter MAX and DJ Steve Aoki. The panel of judges included actress Vivica A. Fox, reality star Luann de Lesseps and beauty vlogger Patrick Starrr.
The pageant also made history by allowing married women and mothers to compete for the first time since 1957. Juliana Morehouse-Locklear of Maine became the first married Miss USA state titleholder in 66 years after tying the knot in April.
The pageant was also marred by controversy following allegations of rigging in the previous edition, which resulted in the suspension and resignation of former Miss USA president Crystle Stewart. The Miss Universe Organization conducted an investigation and found no evidence of wrongdoing, but announced a new leadership under fashion designer Laylah Rose.
Rose said in a statement that she aimed to offer “a modern and progressive approach to a 70-year-old tradition” and celebrate “the beauty, intelligence and diversity of American women.”
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