Miss Michigan Alma Cooper was crowned less than three months after former Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt shockingly resigned from her title
Miss Michigan has officially been crowned Miss USA 2024!
Miss Michigan Alma Cooper was announced as the winner of the annual pageant, which was held on Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Cooper beat out Miss Kentucky Connor Perry and Miss Oklahoma Danika Christopherson for the top prize.
She was crowned by Miss USA 2023 Savannah Gankiewicz, who accepted the crown in May, shortly after the shocking resignation of the former titleholder, Noelia Voigt.
Cooper will go on to represent the United States in the 2024 Miss Universe Pageant, which will take place in November.
The new Miss Teen USA 2024 winner, Mississippi’s Addie Carver, was crowned days earlier, on Aug. 1.
This year’s Miss USA pageant comes less than three months after Voigt announced she had decided to renounce her title.
Voigt, who became the first Venezuelan-American woman to win Miss USA when she was crowned, made the announcement on Instagram on May 7. Two days later, Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava would also resign from her title, stating that her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
At the time, Voigt cited her mental health as her reason for stepping down and an eight-page resignation letter later obtained by numerous outlets alleged that among other things, the organization cultivated a toxic work environment, allegations CEO Laylah Rose has denied.
Voigt has not said much publicly about her resignation, but has requested the organization waive her non-disclosure agreement (NDA) “to enable me to speak.”
Shortly after the shocking resignations, it was announced that Savannah Gankiewicz had accepted the Miss USA 2023 crown.
Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of this year’s pageant, the 28-year-old titleholder said that she had no regrets about her decision.
“I can’t speak on their experience, but I can only judge from mine and it has been nothing but great,” Gankiewicz said. “I’ve had the best time of my life, the best three months of my life. I’m honestly so grateful that I took this opportunity.”
During the pageant, the former Miss Hawaii said she was able to raise awareness for Maui following the deadly 2023 wildfires, but just months later, she said it had become old news. But taking over the title in May helped her put the spotlight back on the island, which is still struggling to recover over a year later.
“I feel confident and empowered, and that’s all I want other young women to feel,” she added. “I want them to feel beautiful from women. And that has always been my message.”
