Wausau Native Crowned Miss America 2023

Friday, December 16th, 2022 -- 9:07 AM

(Drake Bentley and Jamie Rokus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Miss Wisconsin has won the title of Miss America 2023.

According to Drake Bentley and Jamie Rokus with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wausau native Grace Stanke, a 20-year-old nuclear engineering student at UW-Madison, is the third woman from Wisconsin to be crowned as Miss America.

The others are Laura Koeppeler of Kenosha, who was Miss America in 2012, and Terry Meeuwsen of De Pere, who was Miss America in 1973. Stanke shared her passion for nuclear engineering and performed “Storm,” a selection from the Summer movement of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” on violin during Thursday's 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.

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