Miss Nevada Nia Sanchez, was crowned Miss USA 2014 on Sunday night from Baton Rouge Civic Center in Louisiana.
Fifty beauty contestants from all the states and the District of Columbia competed for the title of 63rd Miss USA.
The judges choice, Mrs Nevada Nia Sanchez. First runner-up was Miss North Dakota Audra Mari.Erin Brady, of South Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Other runner-ups, judged on interviews, evening gowns and swimsuits were: home state beauty queen, Miss Louisiana Brittany Guidry; Miss Georgia Tiana Griggs, Miss Florida Brittany Oldehoff and Miss Iowa Carlyn Bradarich. All the titles included USA after the state.
Bradarich got a second chance when the viewing audience gave her the most votes on Twitter in the pageant’s first-ever “Save the Queen” option.
Sanchez will go on to represent the U.S. at the Miss Universe competition later this year.
Louisiana native singer-songwriter Marc Broussard kicked off the pageant with the New Orleans hits “Iko Iko” and “Hey Pocky Way”
The pageant also included musical acts by the country music duo Florida Georgia Line, rapper Nelly and Latin pop band Camila.
Celebrity judges and Pageant owner Donald Trump walked a red carpet in evening gowns posing for pictures and talking about the qualities they would be looking for in the beauty they crown the winner.
“It’s very important that she has confidence,” said Barbara Palacios, Miss Universe 1986 and a coach and judge for the new Telemundo reality show, “Miss Latina Universo.” “The right attitude and perseverance are also very important.”
“It’s all about the eyes,” said Lance Bass of the pop singing boy group *NSYNC. “I just want to see a girl that is just really having a good time up there.”
