Miss USA 1979
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| Miss USA 1979 | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 30, 1979 |
| Presenters | Bob Barker |
| Entertainment | Leif Garrett |
| Venue | Gulf Coast Convention Center, Biloxi, Mississippi |
| Broadcaster | CBS, WJTV |
| Entrants | 51 |
| Placements | 12 |
| Winner | Mary Therese Friel New York |
| Congeniality |  Pam Williams |
| Photogenic |  Michele Sandoval |
Miss USA 1979, the 28th Miss USA pageant, was televised live by CBS from the Gulf Coast Convention Center in Biloxi, Mississippi on April 30, 1979.
The pageant was won by Mary Therese Friel of New York, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Judi Andersen of Hawaii. Friel was the second woman from New York to win the Miss USA title, and went on to place as a semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1979.
Results
- Miss USA 1979: Mary Therese Friel (New York)
- The runners-up were:
- 1st runner-up: Tracey Goddard (Washington)
- 2nd runner-up: Leialoha Ma'a (Hawaii)
- 3rd runner-up: Debra Niego (Illinois)
- 4th runner-up: Laurie Kimbrough (Mississippi)
- The semi-finalists were:
- Ana Maria Rubert (Arizona)
- Linda Fogarty (California)
- Monica Magnus (Massachusetts)
- Dianne Jamerson (North Carolina)
- Anne Hinnant (Texas)
- Betsy Bott (Virginia)
- Kathryn Wituschek (Wisconsin)
Special awards
- Congeniality: Pam Williams (Wyoming)
- Photogenic: Michele Sandoval (New Mexico)
Scoring
| Contestant | Interview | Swimsuit | Evening Gown | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 7.396 (10) | 7.1 (12) | 7.786 (7) | 7.427 (10) |
| California | 6.955 (11) | 7.636 (6) | 7.709 (8) | 7.433 (9) |
| Hawaii | 8.215 (4) | 7.832 (5) | 7.905 (5) | 7.984 (4) |
| Illinois | 8.531 (2) | 8.463 (2) | 8.054 (4) | 8.340 (3) |
| Massachusetts | 7.741 (7) | 7.323 (9) | 7.518 (9) | 7.527 (7) |
| Mississippi | 7.505 (8) | 8.04 (4) | 8.058 (3) | 7.868 (5) |
| New York | 8.621 (1) | 8.68 (1) | 8.467 (2) | 8.589 (1) |
| North Carolina | 7.464 (9) | 7.127 (11) | 7.342 (10) | 7.311 (11) |
| Texas | 7.773 (6) | 7.57 (8) | 7.855 (6) | 7.732 (6) |
| Virginia | 7.88 (5) | 7.614 (7) | 7.209 (11) | 7.568 (8) |
| Washington | 8.516 (3) | 8.298 (3) | 8.625 (1) | 8.480 (2) |
| Wisconsin | 6.955 (11) | 7.164 (10) | 7.064 (12) | 7.061 (12) |
Delegates
The Miss USA 1979 delegates were:
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Judges
- Maud Adams
- Jim Davis
- Eileen Ford
- Alfred Allan Lewis
- Kimberly Tomes
