Regan Hutsell, Miss Texas, was crowned the 99th Miss America on September 7 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, following two nights of preliminary competition among 52 delegates representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
At 18, Hutsell launched a professional dance career as a Radio City Rockette before performing internationally with the Birmingham Royal Ballet across Europe. That career also brought serious personal challenges: she fought through an eating disorder and the body-image pressures that shadow elite performance at a young age.
That experience now drives her Community Service Initiative, Your Body Is Your Home, which promotes healthy self-worth and positive inner dialogue, rejecting the idea that a person’s value is tied to appearance.
During the preliminary rounds, she took home awards in both fitness and talent — the latter for a jazz dance performance to “Le Jazz Hot.” She also made history as the first woman of color to win the Miss America crown while wearing her natural hair.
The scholarship side of the competition delivered concrete results as well. Through the Miss America Opportunity, Hutsell has earned nearly $90,000 in scholarships to support her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, with plans to become a physical therapist.
“I am incredibly honored to represent an organization that empowers women through scholarships, service, and opportunity,” Hutsell said after her crowning. “I look forward to encouraging individuals of all generations to walk boldly in their purpose.”
The final night of competition was hosted by Jennifer Hale and Billy Gilman, with a judging panel that included former Miss America Kate Shindle, Dr. Regina Benjamin, Ubah Hassan, and Ellen Latham, among others.
Hutsell’s crown — a one-of-a-kind piece featuring red and blue stones marking America’s semiquincentennial — was earned after she advanced past a Top 5 that included first runner-up Shelby Bordelon (Louisiana), second runner-up Kate Dimmett (Illinois), third runner-up Sharlize True Trujillo (California), and fourth runner-up Evelyn Smith (Washington, D.C.).
The Miss America Organization, founded in 1921, awards more than $5 million in tuition scholarships annually through its national, state, and local programs, with an additional $35 million in in-kind scholarships. Hutsell will spend her year of service under the organization’s mission of “Empowering Women to Lead with Purpose.”
