Miss South Dakota USA


The Miss South Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Dakota in the Miss USA pageant. It is currently directed by Future Productions based in Savage, Minnesota since 2002.
South Dakota is one of the least successful states, having only placed four times. One notable Miss South Dakota USA was Vanessa Short Bull, one of the first Native Americans to compete at Miss USA. Short Bull was also Miss South Dakota 2002. South Dakota's best placing in the competition was Madison Nipe placing in the top five in 2018.
Kalani Jorgensen of Sioux Falls was crowned Miss South Dakota USA 2020 on September 22, 2019 at Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center in Brandon. She will represent South Dakota for the title of Miss USA 2020 on the spring of 2020.

Gallery of titleholders

Results summary

South Dakota holds a record of 4 placements at Miss USA.

Winners

;Color key
YearNameHometownAge1Placement at Miss USASpecial awards at Miss USANotes
2020Kalani JorgensenSioux Falls25TBATBAPreviously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2012
2019Abigail MerschmanSioux Falls22
2018Madison NipeMadison21Top 5It is best finish ever for a South Dakota contestant
2017Tessa DeeMitchell25Previously Miss South Dakota 2013
2016Madison McKeownSioux Falls20Top 10Previously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2014
2015Lexy SchenkIrene20Previously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2011
2014Brittney PalmerBrookings25
2013Jessica AlbersYankton26
2012Taylor NeisenRapid City20
2011Chandra BurnhamHighmore23
2010Emily MillerIrene21
2009Jessica RowellSioux Falls22
2008Charlie BuhlerMitchell19
2007Suzie HeffernanBrookings20
2006Alexis LeVanSioux Falls19Contestant at National Sweetheart 2008
2005Jessica FjerstadMadison20Previously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2002
2004Andrea ParliamentBrandon20
2003Jessica LawrenceBrookings25Contestant at National Sweetheart 2001
2002Sitania SyrovatkaSioux Falls
2001Beth LovroSioux Falls
2000Vanessa Short BullRapid CityFuture Miss South Dakota 2002
1999Shawna GrossHuron
1998Lori O'BrienRapid City
1997Jamie SwensonSioux Falls25
1996Caresa WintersHuron20
1995Jenny SnobeckSioux Falls
1994Tabetha MauckMobridgePreviously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 1991
1993Kara RovereSturgis
1992Shawn FrerichsSioux Falls
1991Jillayne FossumCantonPreviously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 1988
1990Valerie SejnohaSioux Falls
1989Nanette EndersWatertown
1988Sandi Lynn FixSioux Falls
1987Jana Van WoudenbergHudson
1986Lori ScumacherSioux Falls
1985Stacey ArnoldRapid City
1984Donna SmithBox Elder
1983Kelly RosenbaumElk Point
1982Meaghan NorthSioux Falls
1981Joan AbbottIrene
1980Jane SchmidtFlandreau
1979Noele de Saint GallGarretson
1978Nadene OppoldSioux Falls
1977Ginger ThomsonSioux Falls
1976Dorothy WestphalSioux FallsMiss Congeniality
1975Lanette RabenbergSioux Falls
1974Debra Ann BrickleySioux FallsSemi-finalist
1973Rebecca BunkersBrookings
1972Kathleen BakkeDeSmet
1971Sonia HartSioux Falls
1970Cynthia FinleySturgis
1969Mary BergenSioux Falls
1968Byrean BlacksmithSioux Falls
1967Patricia MarshallRapid City
1962-1966Did Not Compete
1961Sharon Hoffman
1960Patricia Klith
1959Jeannine Stratton
1958Helen YoungquistSemi-finalist
1957Gay Marshall
1956Did Not Compete
1955Phyllis Choquette
1954Barbara Ann Brown
1953Kathleen Herman
1952Marlene M. Riebwithdrew

1 Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant