Teale Murdock was crowned Miss Utah USA 2016 on December 6’ 2015 in Salt Lake City by the outgoing queen, Nicol Powell. She will now have the opportunity to compete at the Miss USA 2016 pageant where she hopes to be crowned by the reigning Miss USA Olivia Jordan from Oklahoma. Miss South Jordan, Baylee Jensen was adjudged as first runner-up, Miss Utah County, Narine Ishhanov was titled as second runner-up, Miss Park City, Riley Copans was declared as third runner-up and Miss Salt Lake County, Leia Sergakis was announced as fourth runner-up. At the same event AbbyJade Larson was crowned Miss Teen Utah USA 2016.
Completing the semi finalists spots were Cassidy Pedersen, Andrea Jackson, Nery Martinez, Alecsy Christensen, Paris Fisher and Cortni Beers. After her crowning, the beauty queen stated: “I seriously cannot believe this! There are absolutely no words to describe this feeling: 8 years in the making of competing for Miss Utah USA, and my time has finally come!”
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Teale has been a student of communications and theatre at Weber State University and has always enjoyed working full time finding her talents in sales and dental assisting. She started modeling at the age of 18 and has continued her time in front of the camera in commercial ad’s, fashion, and has even been featured as title characters for award winning authors on the cover of multiple bestselling books series. Teale plans to continue modeling besides her work in the medical field and wish to develop her talents in entertainment and public relations. She works with the nonprofit organizations, Best Buddies of America and Best Friends Animal Society and is always searching for new programs.
She was bit by the pageant bug at the age of 15 when she won her first county title in southeast Texas. Teale entered several beauty and scholarship pageants throughout the state, including Texas Teen USA. During her senior year of high school, Teale and her family moved back to Utah, where she continued to enter pageants up and down the Wasatch Front all the while, falling in love once again with mountain west culture and people. Teale competed for the title of Miss Utah USA for eight straight years, frequently coming close as a finalist, placing in the top 5 seven times including being called as first runner up twice.
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Utah has been quite successful at Miss USA, with 20 placements as of 2009. Their most consistent period was in the 1950s and 1960s. They won the Miss USA Pageant in 1957 with Charlotte Sheffield after the original titleholder (Leona Gage of Maryland) was dethroned. In 1960 Bement was the second woman from Utah to be crowned Miss USA who also became the third Miss USA to be crowned Miss Universe. Do you see another Utahan beauty winning the crown of Miss USA?