Miss Louisiana 2025 Gabrelle McLeod represented the state at Miss America 2026 on Sept. 7 in Orlando but did not advance to the Top 11. The finals were held at the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
McLeod, a University of Louisiana Monroe student from Vicksburg, Mississippi, won the Miss Louisiana crown June 21 in Monroe to qualify for the national competition. She studies kinesiology and exercise science and previously competed as Miss University of Louisiana Monroe in 2024. Her father, Gerald McLeod, is a resident of Tallulah.
The Miss Louisiana competition is part of the Miss America system, which is one of the largest providers of scholarship assistance to young women. State and local pageants in Louisiana provided more than \$1 million in scholarships this year. The Miss America Organization administers additional funding through its Scholarship Foundation, offering awards that support undergraduate and graduate education.
Miss America began in 1921 and has grown into a program centered on education and leadership. Contestants are evaluated in private interview, talent, fitness, evening wear, and on-stage question. The competition no longer includes a swimsuit segment. Nationally, the program distributes more than \$5 million annually in scholarships.
The 2026 crown went to Cassie Donegan of New York, who received a $70,000 scholarship and will serve as the organization’s national ambassador. Contestants from Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama completed the Top 5.
McLeod’s participation continued Louisiana’s representation in the national program, connecting local communities such as Monroe and Tallulah to the Miss America tradition of scholarship and public service.
