Sparkling sequins dominated the stage of the Union Theater on Sunday night as 21 University ladies put their best stilettoed foot forward in hopes of being crowned Miss LSU-USA 2012.
Audience members followed suit, dressing their best to fill the theatre and watch the show.
But in the end, only finance junior Elizabeth Connor could claim the crown.
Connor won after accumulating the highest scores in three categories – swimsuit, evening gown and interview.
The show began with a welcoming word from Jennifer Hale, Delta Zeta alumna and WVUE sportscaster, who said she was “so impressed by the amazing contestants.”
This year is the 13th anniversary of the Miss LSU-USA pageant, a philanthropic event hosted by the Delta Zeta sorority.
The sorority raises about $40,000 each year through the pageant, which goes toward aiding local and national charities including the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation and the Painted Turtle Camp, according to a news release.
The dark curtain lifted to unveil the competing beauties, who performed a choreographed number to a mash-up of “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” and “Material Girl” while donning short, black, sparkling dresses and heels.
Mid-routine, 2011 Miss LSU-USA and civil engineering junior Christina Famularo took the center stage in her diamond crown and glittering hot pink gown.
Famularo joined the dance and kept her cool while the audience cheered wildly for her.
Famularo said her yearlong reign was amazing, and highlights include being presented on the field of Tiger Stadium and earning second runner-up in the Miss Louisiana pageant.
Passing on the crown is a bittersweet experience for her, Famularo told The Daily Reveille.
She said she’ll miss the title and all that comes with it, but she wants to allow someone else to experience what she was able to in 2011.
Next, the contestants paraded down the stairs in the middle of the stage and twirled in bikinis and heels for the swimsuit portion, while Hale announced the women’s height, hair color, eye color and hobbies.
The contestants’ hobbies ranged from shopping to hunting. Soon-to-be winner Connor listed deep-sea fishing as one of her hobbies and said she catches “anything that’ll bite.”
Eye-catching evening gowns dominated the second category of the pageant. Sports administration sophomore Nicole Wall earned the best gown title for her floor-length, gold-sequined, sleeved dress.
Following the evening gown portion was a hip-hop performance by the LSU Legacy Dancers, who entertained the audience while it patiently waited for an intermission and the one-question interview.
The top 10 contestants were asked questions concerning current University affairs, with a heavy focus on budget cuts.
When Connor was asked what she would say to convince a prospective student to attend the University, she responded by regaling how she developed her love for the school.
“After my first day of class, I called my mom and told her that picking LSU was the best decision I ever made,” she said. The University offers Southern hospitality at its finest, she said.
Hale said contestants are judged on their knowledge of topics and their ability to articulate, and not for their politics or particular beliefs.
Education freshman Breanne Dicke and nursing freshman Gabby Ricca attended the pageant to see their sorority’s hard work come to fruition.
The pair said that every freshman class member was required to collect $300 in sponsorship to fund the event.
Dicke and Ricca said they both knew Connor would win because of her articulate answer to her interview question and her unique dress, which was a classic, off-the-shoulder black gown.
 
____ Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected]