Miss Nevada USA Nia Sanchez is crowned Miss USA during the Miss USA 2014 pageant in Baton Rouge, La., Sunday, June 8, 2014.
Miss Nevada USA Nia Sanchez participates in the evening gown competition during the 2014 Miss USA preliminary competition in Baton Rouge, La.
Miss Nevada USA Nia Sanchez participates in the swimsuit competition during the 2014 Miss USA preliminary competition in Baton Rouge, La.
Miss Nebraska USA Amanda Marie Soltero, left, and Miss Nevada USA Nia Sanchez, participate in the evening gown competition during the 2014 Miss USA preliminary competition in Baton Rouge, La.
From left, Miss Teen USA 2013 Cassidy Wolf, Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler, Donald Trump, and Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady pose during a red carpet event before the Miss USA 2014 pageant in Baton Rouge, La., Sunday, June 8, 2014.
Pageant hosts Thomas Roberts, left, and Giuliana Rancic pose during a red carpet event before the Miss USA 2014 pageant in Baton Rouge, La., Sunday, June 8, 2014.BATON ROUGE, La. – Miss Nevada Nia Sanchez, a fourth-degree black belt in the Korean martial art of taekwondo, was crowned Miss USA 2014 on Sunday night.
She beat out 50 other contestants from all the states and the District of Columbia for the title of 63rd Miss USA. First runner-up was Miss North Dakota Audra Mari.Erin Brady, of South Glastonbury, Connecticut, the 2013 winner, gave up her crown to Sanchez after a three-hour telecast from the Baton Rouge Civic Center in Louisiana.
Other runner-ups, judged on interviews, evening gowns and swimsuits were: home state beauty queen, Miss Louisiana Brittany Guidry; Miss Georgia Tiana Griggs, Miss Florida Brittany Oldehoff and Miss Iowa Carlyn Bradarich.
Bradarich got a second chance when the viewing audience gave her the most votes on Twitter in the pageant’s first-ever “Save the Queen” option.
Sanchez will go on to represent the U.S. at the Miss Universe competition later this year.