Miss America 2025: Alabama nursing student and cheerleader takes the crown

Abbie Stockard, a 22-year-old nursing student and cheerleader from Alabama, has been crowned Miss America 2025. Stockard won over 51 other competitors this past Sunday, in Orlando, where the event was hosted.

Stockard is an undergraduate student at Auburn University, where she's studying nursing and serving as one of her school's cheerleaders. In a video shared on Miss America's Instagram page, Stockard looked shocked when she was named the winner, hugging Texas runner-up Annette Addo-Yobo and bursting into tears.

She was crowned while wearing a sparkling silver gown. In some Instagram stories, Stockard shared her joy and surprise with her win. "This is insane," she said in a video. "I don't know what I did to deserve this. Holy Moly. I'm so excited, I'm so grateful." 

Another video shared on the Miss America account showed an emotional Stockard as she held onto her flower bouquet and wore her crown. The contest's other runner-ups included representatives of Tennessee, Florida, and Ohio. 

More details about Miss America

This year's Miss America was made up of different portions, including live segments and choreographed dance numbers. There were also various segments where contestants showed off their individuality, including fitness and talent skills, and their eveningwear looks.

For her talent portion, Stockard completed a contemporary dance. In her interview segment, she discussed the American labor force, addressing the demographic of people between the ages of 25 to 54, who've statistically decreased work following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I believe we need to encourage those to join the workforce, adapt to new skills and learn to grow in our current workforce and industries we have today,” she said. 

She's taking over from Madison Marsh, the 2024 Miss America winner, and will hold the title for the following 12 months, traveling the world as she works for the organization and serves as one of its most important representatives.