Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke, center, is crowned as Miss America 2023 by Miss America 2022 Emma Broyles, behind center, at the conclusion of the Miss America competition at the Mohegan Sun casino, in Uncasville, Conn.
Wausau native Grace Stanke, a 20-year-old nuclear engineering student at UW-Madison, was crowned the winner of the Miss America competition on Thursday at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn., becoming the pageant’s 95th winner. She is the third woman from Wisconsin to win the title.
Stanke shared her passion for nuclear engineering and performed “Storm,” a selection from the Summer movement of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” on violin during the competition.
A graduate of Wausau West High School, Stanke is the daughter of Darrin and Jenny Stanke.
She previously served as Miss Madison for two years at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and went on to place in the top 10 at Miss Wisconsin before returning to the stage and becoming Miss Wisconsin this year.
Congratulations to #MissAmerica2023, Grace Stanke from Wisconsin!
1st Runner Up – New York
2nd Runner Up – Texas
3rd Runner Up – West Virginia
4th Runner Up – Georgia pic.twitter.com/czu6wCryOo— The Miss America Org (@MissAmerica) December 16, 2022