Miss Illinois USA 2004
Hyatt Regency McCormick, Chicago November 21st - 23rd, 2004
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| High Energy Opening Number | Nicole Suydam and Gina Mason (center) were among the semi-finalists | Emmy Award Winner Jim Donovan of WNBS-TV in Columbus Amanda Reynolds McLean, Miss Illinois USA 2002 kick off the preliminary show | First line-up of 10 preliminary swimsuit contestants (a total of 103!) | 4th Runner Up Shonna Bonds competes in Preliminary Swimwuit while Cheryl Carrier looks on | Scherrie Davis, a Semi-Finalist the past two years is a strong swimsuit competitor | Tai Davis follow Scherrie. Tai was Third Runner Up. |
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| Preliminary Swimsuit Lineup with Molly Graham, the eventual Miss Illinois winner in the center | Molly Graham competes strongly in the preliminary swimsuit compeition | Another strong competiton and Semi-Finalist, Shannon Lersch competes | Gina Mason, a returning Semi-Finalist takes to the stage | Shanell McGoy who returned from last year made it to the Semi-Finalist round of competition | Gina, Shannon and Shanell's line-up | Monica Perone competes in the preliminary swimsuit competition as a judges makes a mark |
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| Alyssa Remsiik competes in swimsuit | Final Group of ladies in the Preliminary Swimsuit Competition on saturday | Catherine Warren, a former Teen Illinois Top 5 looks stunning in swimsuit | Agnes Zakreta, Miss Illinois USA 2003 takes a moment to talk to Jim and Amanda | Preliminary Evening Gown and Fanny Escobar, Brooke Ebenezer, Kate Dolack and Kelly Deverell take to the stage | Scherrie Davis takes her turn in evening gown while Lisa Denault looks on | Molly Graham takes center stage in preliminary evening gown |
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| It's Jane Kong's turn while Lauren Lavorato waits to be called | Semi-Finalist Jenette Leffler competes in her competition evening gown | Preliminary Evening Gown Line Up | Another group of girls line up for the judges | With over 100 girls competing, there was a gorgeous diversity of evening gowns | Nicole Suydam takes center stage in evening gown prelims | Sarah Bettencourt, Miss Rhode Island USA 2004 models a pink cocktail dress |
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| Marie LeBreton of NiniMomo, Michelle Banzer who will be competing for Miss Kentucky USA next weekend, Sarah, Pratima Yarlagadda , Miss Indiana USA 1999 and Rhanda Stewart, NBC News Reporter in Evansville and Teen Panel Judge. |
Finals Day with the 16
Semi-Finalists: Shonna Bonda, Scherrie Davis, Tai Davis, Molly Graham, Jill
Gulseth, Meredith Hertz, Loana Huynh, Nicole Kaapke, Jenette Leffler,
Shannon Lersch, Gina Mason, Shanell McGoy, Kelly Santefort, Nicole Suydam,
Catherine Warren and Nikki Woods
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Jill Gulseth competes in the Final Show Evening Gown competition | Loana Huynh takes the spotlight for Evening Gown | Shannon Lersch takes to the stage | Gina Mason looks great in a classic black evening gown | Kelly Santefort, last year's 2nd Runner Up, waits for her mark, while Nikki and Catherine look on |
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| Hertz and Gulseth both in blue | Woods, Warren, Suydam, Santefort and McGoy | Mason, Lersch, Leffler, Kaapke and Huynh | Scherrie Davis is second out to be interview by Jim | Tai Davis on one of the many large screens during set up on stage | Jill Gulseth gets her turn | Loana Huynh competes in Interview |
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| Shannon Lersch and Jim Donovan | Jenette Leffler wears a white pants suit for interview | Shannel McGoy also chose white for interview | Kelly Santefort and Jim talk it over | Catherine Warren, an impressive first runner up, during interview | Nikki Woods, 2nd Runner Up finisher during interview | Agnes Zakreta and Amanda talk about their experiences as Miss Illinois USA titleholders. |
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| Jim presents Agnes with her very own one-of-a-kind NiniMomo | Agnes' doll is wearing the same competition Valentino Agnes wore at Miss USA | Amanda and Agnes laugh about their immortalization in plastic. Amanda received her doll just one year ago. | Jim, Amanda, Agnes and Mini-Me Agnes | A better look at Agnes' NiniMomo | Agnes as she appeared at last March's Miss USA 2003 pageant. | A better look at the beautiful detailing that has kept Valentino one of the world's best designers |
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| Agnes' "Mini-Me" | Agnes during the 2003 Evening Gown competition for Miss USA. | Scherrie Davis competes in swimsuit finals night | Tai Davis follows Scherrie in swimsuit | Molly Graham takes the spotlight in Finals swimsuit | Jenette Leffler gets her mark | Gina Mason takes center stage while Nicole waits her turn |
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| Kelly Santefort stands center stage in swimsuit | Catherine Warren during Final Night Swimsuit | Nikki Woods is the last contestant to compete for the 2004 Miss Illinois USA Swimsuit Competition | Final Swimsuit Walk through | McGoy, Mason, Lersch, Leffler, Kaapke and Huynh | Kaapke, Huynh, Hertz, Gulseth, Graham, T. Davis, S, Davis and Bonds. | Catherine Warren gets called down to the Final 5 |
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| With Tai Davis, Nikki Woods, Molly Graham and Catherine Warren already in the Top 5, Shonna Bonds completes the group | Left to Right: Catherine Warrem, Tai Davis, Shonna Bonds, Nikki Woods and Molly Graham | Non-Finalist Interview Winners: Rajinder Chadha and Jennifer Morie | Non-Finalist Swimsuit Winners: Laura Benedetti and Jessica van Dusen | Non-Finalist Evening Gown Winners: Krystle Puttarat and Jamie Alexander | The Final Five await the judge's final decision | Shonna Bonds takes 4th Runner Up and Tai Davis, third from left takes 3rd Runner Up |
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| 2nd Runner Up is Nikki Woods | Contrasts in Black and White, Brunette and Blonde, the final two, Catherine Warren and Molly Graham | Molly Graham takes the crown from a gracious first runner up, Catherine Warren | Molly is overjoyed at her victory! | Agnes prepares the Illinois sash | This has been Molly's third attempt at the crown proving that hard work and patience pays off | Agnes Zakreta passes the crown on to a new Miss Illinois USA 2004, Molly Graham |
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| Best of Luck Molly as she competes for Miss USA 2004 next March on NBC! | Warren, Woods and Davis share a laugh | Agnes, the newly crowned Miss Illinois Teen USA Brittany Acosta and the Runner's Up | Shonna, Woods and Graham wait for pictures while the photographer adjusts the crown | Jim congratulates Woods and Bonds | Newly crowned winners! Molly and Brittany | Three queens with tickets to Miss USA: Jenna Schultz, Miss Wisconsin USA 04, Molly Graham Miss Illinois USA 04 and Sarah Bettencourt, Miss RI USA '04 |
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| The always fun Raye Anne Johnson, former Miss RI USA and Nik of NiniMomo | Newly crowned Teen, Brittany Acosta, Sarah Bettencourt, Miss RI USA 2004 and Michelle Banzer | Pratima, Sarah and Michelle pose for a picture | Sarah and Michelle | Relaxing after a long weekend, Pratima, Teen Panel Judge, Chad Kirk and Sarah. | Michelle Banzer will be competing for Miss Kentucky USA Thanksgiving weekend | Michelle and Marie relax after a long night of preparing Michelle for her upcoming competition |
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Miss Illinois USA 2004 - Molly Graham 1st Runner Up - Catherine Warren 2nd Runner Up - Nikki Woods 3rd Runner Up - Tai Davis 4th Runner Up - Shonna Bonds Top 12 Semi-Finalists - Scherrie Davis, Jill Gulseth, Meredith Hertz, Loana Huynh, Nicole Kaapke, Jenette Leffler, Shannon Lersch, Gina Mason, Shanelle McGoy, Kelly Santefort, Nicole Suydam Congeniality: ???/ Photogenic: ??? |