Chelsie Kryst of North Carolina beat out 50 other challengers to win the Miss USA title Thursday night.
The 27-year-old lawyer, who represents prison inmates for free, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the honors college at the University of South Carolina, along with a Master of Business Administration and juris doctor degree from Wake Forest University
“I’m standing here in Nevada, in the state that has the first female majority legislature in the entire country,” Kryst said. “Mine is the first generation to have that forward-looking mindset that has inclusivity, diversity, strength and empowered women. I’m looking forward to continued progress in my generation.”
Kryst is a former Division I athlete who has competed in heptathlon, long jump and triple jump on USC’s track and field team. She also holds a top-10 spot in the school’s record book for the triple jump.
Kryst was crowned by 2018 Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska. She will now advance to the Miss Universe competition.
