A tribute to Chelsi Smith: Miss Congeniality Award renamed at Miss USA 2024

The 74^th Annual Miss USA pageant made history on Friday, October 24, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, by announcing the renaming of the Miss Congeniality Award in memory of the late former Miss Universe Chelsi Smith.

Chelsi Smith passed away in September 2018 at the age of 45, a year after being diagnosed with liver cancer. Pageant co-host Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan revealed the significant name change during the event, which she hosted alongside sports analyst and former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho.

“We are making history”, said Jordan. “We have decided to rename the Miss Congeniality award after one of the most iconic beauty queens in history. In 1995, Chelsi Smith won Miss Texas USA, Miss USA, and then Miss Universe”.

Smith remains the only woman from Texas to win both the Miss USA and Miss Universe titles and was the first American woman to claim the Miss Universe crown in 15 years. Jordan noted that Smith also won the Miss Congeniality award in nearly every pageant she participated in. “In 2018, Chelsi lost her battle with cancer. The Miss USA organisation wants to honour her legacy by renaming Miss Congeniality the Chelsi Smith Congeniality Award”, she added.

This year, the award was presented to Miss Delaware, Tetra Shaylice, while Miss Nebraska, Audrey Eckert, was crowned Miss USA 2025, and Miss New Jersey, Ivy Harrington, was named the first runner-up.

The judging panel included Nia Sanchez, Miss USA 2014 and first runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant that same year, as well as Jade Roper Tolbert, a contestant from season 19 of “The Bachelor”, who runs her own cosmetics company. Other judges included former Dancing with the Stars pro Sasha Farber, fashion designer Kenneth Barlis and model scout Hannah Edward.