Miss USA crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert winner as scandalous pageant heralds ‘new era’

Audrey Eckert of Nebraska was named Miss USA Friday, as the scandal-ridden annual pageant returned under new ownership.

The 22-year-old digital security advocate beat out 50 other competitors to take the crown at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. Ivy Harrington of New Jersey and Chantéa McIntyre of Oregon were named first and second runners-up.

The event capped nearly 18 months of turmoil for the long-running pageant, which underwent an acrimonious change in leadership following the resignation of Miss USA 2023, Noelia Voigt of Utah, amid allegations of mistreatment.

With the event’s new organizers heralding a “new era,” Friday’s finale concluded five days of events including swimsuit competitions, evening wear parades and questions and answers with judges.

Eckert, a former cheerleader and University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, fell to her knees when her victory was announced, overcome with emotion in a blizzard of gold streamers.

Contrary to tradition, she was crowned by the reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig rather than last year’s winner, Alma Cooper of Michigan, who was not present. Voigt, meanwhile, made a surprise return to the competition as host of the official online broadcast, after co-hosting one of the preliminary competitions on Wednesday.

The Miss USA pageant was plunged into controversy last May, when Voigt and then-reigning Miss Teen USA, UmaSofia Srivastava, resigned within days of each other. Voigt initially attributed her decision to mental health issues, but social media users noticed that the first letters of the first 11 sentences of her cryptic message spelled out “I am silenced,” sparking rumors of a strict nondisclosure agreement.

His resignation letter, later seen by CNN, cited a “toxic work environment” that “is bad management at best and bullying and harassment at worst.” Voigt also claimed that pageant organizers failed to provide an “effective manager,” leading to her being sexually harassed at a Florida Christmas parade while alone with an unnamed person in a car. Laylah Rose, then Miss USA president, has always denied allegations of wrongdoing.

Last month, American businessman Thom Brodeur announced that he had acquired the rights to Miss USA and Miss Teen USA from the Miss Universe Organization, which controls both licenses. The 10-year deal sees him take on the role of president and CEO of Miss USA, but Rose – still posting via the pageant’s official Instagram account – rejected that proposal, writing in a since-deleted post that she had seen “no new contracts regarding any transfer of ownership.”

The Miss Universe Organization later released a statement confirming Brodeur’s acquisition, calling it a “new chapter” in the pageant’s “rich history.” Miss Universe co-owner JKN Global Group later filed a lawsuit against Rose’s company, VVV Global, alleging that the company breached its contract and brought the Miss USA brand into disrepute. The suit also reiterated Voigt’s earlier claims, while accusing Rose of “mistreating contest contestants, winners, staff and volunteers.”

In an emailed statement to CNN from Rose, VVV Global said it was still “committed to the world of contests” and “looking forward to securing a full 12-year licensing agreement for…contests, as promised by JKN.” The company also filed a countersuit denying allegations of wrongdoing, while seeking more than $116 million in damages and lost profits.

About a week after JKN filed the complaint, Brodeur wrote on Instagram that he had “officially regained access” to Miss USA’s social media accounts. The businessman and founder of Brodeur Beauty declined CNN’s request for comment on his view of the competition, although he has previously attempted to draw a line under recent events. Speaking to People magazine last month about the resignations of Voight Voigt and Srivastava, he said: “There were some pretty egregious comments made on the NDA that suppressed the voices of these two young women and didn’t give them the opportunity to talk about their journey. I want to remove that restriction.”

Founded in 1952, the Miss USA organization has undergone multiple leadership changes in recent years. Donald Trump owned the pageant, as well as the Miss Universe Organization, from 1996 until 2015, when he sold both to WME-IMG. JKN Global Group, a conglomerate founded by Thai businesswoman Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, has acquired Miss Universe and Miss USA in 2022.

Prior to Rose’s nomination, former Miss USA Crystle Stewart operated the US pageant’s license, although she resigned after being embroiled in a scandal that included allegations of favoritism towards 2022 winner R’Bonney Gabriel. (Gabriel later won Miss Universe.) Stewart denied allegations that the pageant was rigged, and an internal investigation concluded that no rigging had taken place.

This year’s pageant kicked off Monday with a “state costume” competition, won by Miss Missouri, Shae Smith. Further preliminary competitions and closed-door interviews narrowed the 51 candidates down to the top 16, while four others advanced to the final through a public vote.

During an onstage Q&A session with judges — including Miss USA 2014 and “The Valley” star Nia Sanchez — contestants answered questions on topics ranging from representation in media to the future of artificial intelligence.

More than a dozen of this year’s contestants were 30 or older, after Miss USA in 2024 lifted longstanding rules barring women over 28 (as well as married women and mothers) from entering. Among them was Tetra Shockley, Miss Delaware, 44, who became the oldest person to ever compete in the pageant. Miss New Hampshire, MonaLesa Brackett, became the first woman to compete wearing a hijab.

Friday’s pageant also marked the first time Miss USA was not televised since it first aired on CBS in 1963. It was instead broadcast via a streaming service specializing in beauty and pageantry.

Eckert will now compete in the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand next month. The United States is the most successful country in the history of the pageant, with nine American participants winning the title in its 73-year history.

On Thursday night, high school senior and aspiring dermatologist Mailyn Marsh of Missouri was named this year’s Miss Teen USA, a companion title for contestants ages 14 to 19.