Entertainment
Miss Virginia Justus Kelley becomes first married woman and mother to win Miss USA
The 31-year-old foster mother won the 75th annual pageant, which featured new rules and a last-minute shift to streaming distribution.
The short version
- Justus Kelley, a 31-year-old foster mother and nonprofit founder from Virginia, won the 2026 Miss USA crown in Miami.
- Kelley is the first married woman, first mother, and first contestant in her 30s to hold the title following recent eligibility rule changes.
- The 75th annual event introduced a "commercial appeal" judging metric and was streamed online after broadcast partner The CW dropped the show over a contract issue.
- Kelley will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico this November.
Key facts
- Miss Virginia Justus Kelley, 31, was crowned Miss USA 2026 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami.[Business Insider]
- Kelley is the first married woman, first mother, and first woman over age 30 to win Miss USA since rule changes expanded eligibility in 2023 and 2024.[Business Insider]
- Fifty-one contestants were evaluated on swimsuit, evening gown, interview, and a new judging category called commercial appeal.[Business Insider]
- The finals were streamed on the Queen Beauty Network after The CW Network dropped its planned broadcast on August 20 due to an unresolved contractual issue.[Business Insider]
- Kelley will advance to compete at the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November 2026.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- It is unclear how much weight fan votes held in the final scoring process alongside the official judges' scores.[Business Insider]
Sources
- Miss Virginia becomes the first married woman and mother to win Miss USABusiness Insider metered