After a much-delayed competition following a leadership drama, the Miss USA pageant has finally crowned the United States’ delegate to the 2025 Miss Universe competition, Audrey Eckert from Nebraska. And this stirred up some wild speculation among Filipino pageant followers.
The 2025 Miss USA coronation show was held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, on Oct. 24 (25 in Manila), with all 50 states and the District of Columbia represented in the competition.
What appears to be just a typical victory to many was taken as a ‘sign’ for some avid Filipino pageant fans because Eckert’s coronation has added a ‘puzzle’ piece that would re-create the Philippines’ most recent Miss Universe victory.
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The last time a delegate from the Philippines won the Miss Universe crown was in 2018, courtesy of Catriona Gray. The competition was held in Thailand, where this year’s contest will also be staged.
Sarah Rose Summers, the US’ representative to the Miss Universe pageant in 2018 in Thailand and competed with Gray is also from Nebraska like the new Miss USA.
Pageants, like sports, bring out a lot of superstitious beliefs, and avid followers like to keep track of recurring circumstances that they believe will secure a win for a preferred bet.
And for this coming Miss Universe pageant, two ‘factors’ have been put in place that mirrors the 2018 contest – Thailand as the host country, and a Nebraskan competing as Miss USA.
But aside from these, there have been a few things in common between Gray and Ahtisa Manalo, the Philippines’ entry to the 2025 Miss Universe pageant. Both ladies have competed in another international pageant before.
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Gray was in the Top 5 of the 2016 Miss World pagent before she became Miss Universe. Manalo, for her part, was first runner-up in the 2018 Miss International pageant, and is now targeting the Miss Universe crown.
Both ladies are also Eurasians, with Filipino mothers and fathers of mixed heritage. Gray’s father Ian is an Australian of Scottish descent, while Manalo’s dad Ahti is of Finnish-Swedish lineage.
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On the Miss USA front, the organization also faced drama in both 2018 and 2025. Summers faced backlash for her comments about Miss Universe delegates who do not speak English, while this year’s national search had a controversial change in leadership.
Laylah Rose, who had previously steered the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, was unceremoniously replaced by the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) with Thom Brodeur.
The change in leadership was prompted by several complaints from fans, delegates and titleholders against Rose; more prominent among the hurdles she faced was the resignation of both 2023 Miss USA Noelia Voight and 2023 Miss Teen USA Umasofia Srivastrava in 2024.
MUO has filed a lawsuit against Rose, saying she created a ‘toxic work environment’ and had been remiss in fulfilling her commitments to her queens and the organization.
The new team under Brodeur raced against time to mount a competition ahead of the Miss Universe pageant scheduled next month. His contest drew a diverse group of contestants, still a formidable batch despite the limited amount of preparations.
A woman with alopecia, who wore wigs in most of her appearances, represented Nevada, Mary Sickler, who finished as fourth runner-up. Hijab-wearing Monalesa Brackett from New Hampshire advanced to the Top 20 and paraded in a burkini in the swimsuit competition.
Settling for the first runner-up spot was Ivy Harrington from New Jersey, with Chantea McIntyre from Oregon as second runner-up. Heavy favorite Taylor Lauren Davis from Texas was third runner-up.