Kelly Hutchinson, a senior at Auburn University, is the official representative of Alabama in Miss USA 2020. Hutchinson, who competed as Miss Auburn-Opelika 2020, was crowned on 5th October 2019 during a ceremony at the Gogue Performing Arts Center in Auburn. Hannah McMurphy Miss Alabama USA 2019 crowned her successor at the end of the event finale.
Kelly was one of the thirty two women vying for the title of Miss Alabama USA 2020. She competed in interview, swimsuit and evening gown segments to take home the coveted crown. From Marietta, Georgia, Kelly won the title of Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen in 2013 and later competed for Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. She’s a communications major at Auburn with a minor in marketing. After graduation, she plans to attend law school.
Hutchinson told the tourism bureau she chose Auburn University after being introduced to the school by her brother, Jimmy Hutchinson. “My brother is three years older than me and was being recruited by many schools to punt for the football team. He ended up deciding on Auburn and my very first visit to Auburn was his first football game on the team. I completely fell in love with Auburn and the entire campus and knew it would be where I would end up as well”, she said.
Hutchinson also offered encouragement to other young women who might be interested in pageants as she said, “A lot of times girls may think there is a certain 'pageant girl mold’ they need to fit into and change themselves to fit that, but that isn’t the case at all,” Hutchinson said. “Pageants are all about women empowerment and celebrating our differences so it’s important to be 100 percent authentically yourself.”
(Photo Credits: Kelly Hutchinson Instagram Official)
The Miss Alabama Teen USA 2020 pageant also was held the same weekend at the Gogue Center. Miss Mobile Teen USA, Katie Watts, won the crown besting 25 other contestants. She’ll move on to compete for Miss Teen USA 2020. Watts is a freshman at Baker High School and a competitive dancer. She was crowned by Miss Alabama Teen USA 2019, Kalin Burt.
Congratulations to the winners.