Miss USA 2026: Justus Kelley makes history as first mother to win title

Miss USA made history on August 27, 2026, when Justus Kelley, 31, representing Virginia, was crowned the winner of the 75th annual pageant at the Adrienne Arsht Centre for the Performing Arts in Miami.

This makes her the first mother and first married woman ever to secure the title.

The historic milestone comes three years after the Miss USA organization amended its rules in 2023, removing the age cap on contestants and allowing mothers to compete.

This win is also one of a kind, as Kelley is also the first woman in her 30s to win the crown and Virginia’s first winner since Deborah Shelton in 1970.

Kelley is a foster mother of two, nonprofit founder, and author of a children’s book. She is a philanthropic advisor at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She holds a master’s degree in public health and a bachelor’s degree in science from Indiana University, where she was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

During her final question round, she opened up about the significance of her potential win: “I’m 31 years old, I’m married to my college sweetheart of nine years, and we are proud foster parents of two adorable siblings. No longer questioning if we have to choose between our ambitious career, our families, and our wildest dreams.”

Kelley, who got all of her competition wardrobe second hand, won a prize pack worth over $685,000 consisting of $150,000 in cash, a Range Rover, and a year-long lease on a luxury Miami apartment.

Audrey Eckert, Miss USA 2025, crowned her successor at the event that was presented by Kenya Moore and Ian Ziering. Miss Florida, Aileen Cerchiara, became the first runner-up. Kelley is to represent the US at the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico this November.