Miss District of Columbia Kara McCullough was crowned winner of Miss USA 2017. McCullough now takes over the title from 2016 winner Deshauna Barber, who was also from DC.
Women from across the United States took the stage to vie for the crown of Miss USA 2017. The pageant finals held on Sunday, May 14, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Chhavi Verg from New Jersey was the 1st runner-up while Meridith Gould from Minnesota was named 2nd runner-up .
The five (5) finalists in this year’s competition were: Meridith Gould (Minnesota), Whitney Wandland (Illinois), Megan Gordon (South Carolina), Kara McCullough (District of Columbia), Chhavi Verg (New Jersey).
The Top 10 were: Alyssa London (Alaska), India Williams (California), Kara McCullough (District of Columbia), Whitney Wandland (Illinois), Meridith Gould (Minnesota), Chhavi Verg (New Jersey), Bayleigh Dayton (Missouri), Hannah Lopa (New York), Megan Gordon (South Carolina), Allee-Sutton Hethcoat (Tennessee).
The judges this year included Carson Kressley, Miss USA 1997 Brook Lee, trans TV host and author Janet Mock, and Halima Aden, who was the first woman to compete in the Miss USA pageant in a hijab and burkini.
The show was hosted by Julianne Hough and Terrence J, reprising their 2016 hosting roles. Model and body activist Ashley Graham also returned as backstage host.