Key Highlights
- Audrey Eckert of Nebraska has been crowned Miss USA 2025.
- The selection process was altered this year by the new CEO, bringing more transparency to the competition.
- Eckert will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in November.
- Brodeur aims to reestablish Miss USA and Miss Teen USA as “America’s It Girls.”
New Miss USA Crowned: Audrey Eckert of Nebraska
The 74th annual Miss USA pageant crowned its newest winner on Friday night at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. Audrey Eckert, representing Nebraska, was named Miss USA 2025 by current Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig. This marks a significant moment for both Eckert and her state, as she will now go on to represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant.
Changes in Selection Process
This year’s Miss USA pageant saw notable changes in its selection process under new CEO Thom Brodeur. In an effort to increase transparency, Brodeur eliminated the traditional selection committee that had historically influenced the results of the competition. As he stated in September 2024: “For many, many years, young women have come into this organization competing with a rule — it’s very clearly stated, you know what you’re signing up for in your contestant contract — that the leadership team, management, and others can be part of the selection process.
So the process for selecting a new Miss USA and Miss Teen USA isn’t just left up to the judges.”
Brodeur further elaborated on his vision: “Part of what my team and I intend to do is to remove that selection committee rule out of contestant contracts,” he added. “What that means, very simply, is who the judges pick is the winner of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. And what that means to the competitors — the young women who compete in this sport — is that they are going to have a 100% fair shot where nobody else’s voice or influence affects their ability to place in the competition.”
Questions and Reflections
During the final question round, contestants were challenged with questions about current events. Miss Nebraska Audrey Eckert faced the following prompt: “When people look back on our generation 100 years from now, what do you hope they say about us, and what are you doing to help make that happen?” Her response highlighted her adaptability and dedication to digital safety:
“Our generation is, without a doubt, adaptable,” Eckert said. “We have learned to grow and change through so many things.”
Eckert continued by emphasizing the importance of being adaptable in various roles: “I work in digital media every single day, and I teach 500 athletes on a weekly basis how to stay safe online, and being safe online, and learning to grow up in a digital world requires you to be adaptable, just like the job of Miss USA. She’s heading to Miss Universe very shortly, and she needs to be adaptable, she needs to roll with the punches, and she needs to lead our great nation with pride.”
Brodeur’s Vision for Reestablishing Miss USA
Brodeur hopes that by making these changes, he can usher in a new era for the Miss USA pageant. He envisions a future where the organization is once again respected and admired: “My goal is to reestablish Miss USA and Miss Teen USA as America’s It Girls,” Brodeur told Business Insider in September 2024. This year’s winner will kick off her reign with a flight to Thailand for the weeks-long Miss Universe competition, which will air on November 21.
The new CEO is committed to proving that his changes are effective: “Time is going to prove this out, and we have to do the work to prove it,” he said. As of now, the 74th Miss USA pageant has brought a fresh perspective to an organization that hasn’t had a scandal-free year since 2020.