Justus Kelley made history as the first mother and first married woman to win Miss USA — and she got there in an unconventional way.On Aug.27, the organization hosted the 75th edition of the national pageant in Miami.
The 31-year-old, who was Miss Virginia USA 2026, succeeded last year’s winner, Audrey Eckert, 24.The pageant opened the competition to married women and mothers in 2023."My pageant prep, it did look different," Kelley told Fox News Digital.
"I'm not going to pretend like I was able to dedicate the same amount of time as what I did in the past.I had to get creative.
Their nap time was my prep time.It was late nights.
It was after the bath and bed routine.I did walking classes with my baby on my chest, in his carrier.
I did squats in my living room while holding my two-year-old.I practiced interview questions while feeding my toddler."NAVY VETERAN TRADES MILITARY UNIFORM FOR MISS GEORGIA SASH FOLLOWING HEARTBREAKING LOSSMiss Virginia USA 2026 Justus Kelley is crowned Miss USA 2026 onstage during the 2026 Miss USA Final Competition & Coronation at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Aug.
27, 2026, in Miami, Florida.(Ivan Apfel/Getty Images)"There were days when I wished I could just take the entire day to dedicate to pageant prep, but that's not where I am," Kelley said.
"That's not the season of life that I'm in.And we made it work, and my family was fully on board with this experience.
They know that they're along for the journey; they're along for this ride with me."The Miss USA pageant began in 1952 in Long Beach, California, with New York's Jackie Loughery becoming its first winner.The competition is separate from the Miss America pageant, which traces its history to a 1921 event in Atlantic City, New Jersey.Miss USA 2026 winner Justus Kelley and Miss Florida Aileen Cerchiara stand on stage during the 2026 Miss USA Final Competition and Coronation at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida., on Au...