The 22-year-old Audrey Eckert from Nebraska was crowned Miss USA 2025 on Friday, October 24.
The former cheerleader and University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate fell to her knees, overcome with emotion as gold streamers fell upon hearing her name announced at the Grand Sierra resort in Reno, Nevada.
Over 50 contestants participated in the beauty pageant. The runners-up are Ivy Harrington of New Jersey and Chantea McLntyre of Oregon.
Eckert, being a competitor as a “digital advocate of safety” now comes to the national limelight at a time when the organization of Miss USA has gone through a season of intense turmoil.
Her victory is a culmination of an almost 18-month crisis in which Noelia Voigt (Miss USA 2923), UmaSofia Srivastava (Miss Teen USA 2023) suddenly resigned due to allegations of a toxic work culture and abusive behaviour.
Unlike traditional custom, Eckert was crowned by the reigning Miss Universe, Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig instead of her predecessor.
The triumph of Eckert also highlights new historical changes to the pageant regulations.
It was the first competition to have over a dozen entrants, aged 30 or older, including 44-year-old Miss Delaware, after the organization lifted its long-standing age cap and ban on married women and mothers.
Since she is already the newly crowned Miss USA, Eckert will now look forward to representing the USA at the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand next month.