Miss Mississippi USA 2023 is Sydney Russell
Sydney Russell, representing Lauderdale County, was crowned Miss Mississippi USA 2023 on Saturday, April 1 at the Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, Mississippi.
The 24-year-old future pharmacist from Meridian bested 27 other competitors to win the state title. She succeeded last year's winner Hailey White and will now prepare to represent Mississippi at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada.
Rounding out the Top 5 finalists were first runner-up Maggie Ulmer (Heart of Oxford), second runner-up Maddi Lambert (Northwest Mississippi), third runner-up Dana Wesley (West Point), and fourth runners-up Kaylee Brooke McCollum (Monroe County).
Arielle Hudson, Jessie Besanson, Malory Williams, Rylie Ozbin, Connor Dowdell, Alexis Carter, Elishia Jones, Lacee Riddell, Erin Broadus, M'Tajia Altman, and Jaycee Drew Janzen were the rest of the Top 16 semifinalists.
Another teen queen, Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2023 Claire Ulmer, also joined Greenwood Productions' family. The Mississippi Volunteer representative was crowned by her predecessor, McKenzie Cole, and will now proceed to represent the "Magnolia State" at Miss Teen USA 2023.
Runners-up for the teens' division include Addison Carver (Southwest Mississippi), Caroline Ulmer (Mize), Lauryl Joyner (Lauderdale County), and Isabella Nolen (Spirit).
The new Miss Mississippi USA is no stranger to pageantry, having joined last year and placed third runner-up. In 2021, she was crowned Ole Miss Most Beautiful at the University of Mississippi.
Talking about her victory, Sydney said: "Grateful doesn’t even begin to describe the overwhelming emotion I had last night as I was crowned Miss Mississippi USA 2023."
"I am humbled to have been chosen from the incredible group of women that I had the privilege of getting to know these past few days. I hope to make each of you proud throughout my journey," she added.
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