Sarah Medley

The Miss South Carolina USA competition, previously known as Miss South Carolina Universe, is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner.The pageant has been produced by Paula Miles, the sister of Miss South Carolina USA 1979, Janice McDonald, since 1980, and it has been directed by RPM Productions.

Miriam Stevenson, South Carolina's first Miss USA and the United States' first Miss Universe, was also the first Miss USA winner to have competed at Miss America.She was the first woman to have competed at Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Universe.South Carolina's second Miss USA was Shawn Weatherly, who also went on to win Miss Universe.

Six Miss South Carolina USAs have also held the Miss South Carolina Teen USA title and competed at Miss Teen USA.Two have also competed at Miss America.

Miss South Carolina USA titleholders have also competed at two other major international pageants.Gina Tolleson, first runner-up at Miss USA 1990, went on to win the Miss World crown that year, and Miss South Carolina USA 2004, Amanda Pennekamp, has also competed at the Miss Earth 2006 pageant where she made the top 16.

Hannah Jane Curry of Greer was crowned Miss South Carolina USA 2020 on November 23, 2019 at North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center in North Charleston. She will represent South Carolina for the title of Miss USA 2020.

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  Shawn Weatherly, Miss South Carolina USA 1980, Miss USA 1980 & Miss Universe 1980

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  Allison Grisso, Miss South Carolina USA 1983

• Maribeth Curry, Miss South Carolina USA 1986

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  Amanda Pennekamp, Miss South Carolina USA 2004, competing as Miss Earth USA in the swimsuit competition at Miss Earth 2006

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  Lacie Lybrand, Miss South Carolina USA 2006

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  Stephanie Murray Smith, Miss South Carolina USA 2009

• Miss USAs: Miriam Stevenson (1954), Shawn Weatherly (1980), Lu Parker (1994)
• 1st runners-up: Mary Kemp Griffin (1953), Betty Cherry (1956), Vickie Chesser (1970), Gina Tolleson (1990), Amanda Pennekamp (2004)
• 2nd runners-up: Eva Engle (1969), Allison Grisso (1983), Audra Wallace (1992)
• 3rd runner-up: Virginia Murray (1976)
• 5th runner-up: Megan Pinckney (2013)
• Top 5: Lauren Poppell (1999), Megan Gordon (2017)
• Top 8/Top 10/12: Susan Gordon (1972), Maribeth Curry (1986), April Abel (1988), Kelli Gosnell (1993), Lisa Rabon (2000), Ashley Williams (2002), Anna Hanks (2003), Lacie Lybrand (2006), Stephanie Murray Smith (2009), Courtney Turner (2011), Christina Zapolski (2014)
• Top 15/16/19: Susan Anthony Day (1953), Sara Stone (1955), Jean Spotts (1957), Patricia Ann Moss (1958), Cecelia Yoder (1963), Vicki Harrison (1965), Ashley Zais (2007), Jamie Hill (2008), Erika Powell (2012), Leah Lawson(2016)

South Carolina holds a record of 36 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

• Miss Congeniality: Kiki Kirkland (1973)
• Miss Photogenic: Sonja Glenn (1998)
• Best State Costume: Vicki Chesser (1970), Virginia Murray (1976)
• Best in Swimsuit: Lauren Poppell (1999)

Color key

Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant