Bayleigh Dayton Crowned Miss Missouri USA 2017

Bayleigh Dayton was crowned as Miss Missouri USA 2017 on September 29, 2016. She is the first Black woman to win Miss Missouri USA. She succeeds Sydnee Stottlemyre and will now represent Missouri in the coming edition of Miss USA 2017, wherein Deshauna Barber of District of Columbia will pass on her crown to her successor.

The flight attendant and print model earned the crown of Miss Missouri USA after vying it out in previous pageants. In 2013, Dayton landed in the top 16. And, last year, she was awarded Miss Congeniality alongside finishing as the first runner-up.

Missouri has had only one Miss USA, Shandi Finnessey, who placed as 1st runner-up to Jennifer Hawkins of Australia in the Miss Universe 2004 pageant.

Miss USA 2017: Meet The Contestants Here!