In Sunday night’s Miss America 2026 final at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center, Alabama’s Abbie Stockard, Miss America 2025, crowned her successor: Miss New York, Cassie Donegan.
Stockard had won the prestigious national pageant last year and has served the past year as Miss America 2025.
Her reign ended Sunday night as she handed her title, her crown and her duties to her successor.
Earlier in the night, 11 semifinalists were announced before moving through fitness, talent, evening gown and interview phases.
The semifinalist states were Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland, New York, Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama and Illinois.
Talent highlights included:
• Miss Georgia, Audrey Kittila — violin medley.
• Miss Tennessee, Zoe Scheiderich — ballet.
• Miss Maryland, Maria Derisavi — spoken “HER Story” piece.
• Miss Florida, Paris Richardson — acrobatic/jazz dance.
• Miss Alabama, Emma Terry — ballet en pointe.
• Miss Illinois, Nitsaniyah Fitch — soulful ballad.
Donegan, Arkansas’ Kennedy Holland, and Utah’s Jordyn Bristol were among preliminary talent award winners this week before finals.
Miss Alabama Emma Terry also won two service awards. She was the regional leader for the leadership award. She won a new Quality of Life Award.
15 former Miss America winners were there and were recognized for a walk across the stage. One was from Alabama, Heather Whitestone, Miss America 1995. She was the first and only deaf Miss America.
It was announced that the Miss America organization awards $35 million a year in scholarships across the nation.
A special announcement was made during the Sunday pageant that each contestant who did not make the top 11 would each receive a $3,000 scholarship.
Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at [email protected].
