Miss Mississippi USA 2022 is Hailey White of Southern Magnolia

Miss Southern Magnolia, Hailey White, bested 43 other contestants to be crowned Miss Mississippi USA 2022 in a glittering state competition held on Saturday, April 2 at the Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, Mississippi.

The 23-year-old beauty from Hattiesburg succeeds last year's winner, Bailey Anderson. She will represent the southern state at the Miss USA 2022 national pageant.

Hanna Perrigin of Lowndes County was named the first runner-up while Michaela Lian from South Mississippi finished as the second runner-up.

Lauderdale County's Sydney Russel and Heart of Oxford's Maggie Ulmer were the third and fourth runners-up, respectively.

The newly crowned Miss Mississippi USA took to social media to share that winning her title was a dream and she is so proud to wear Mississippi across her chest and represent such an amazing state.

"It is such a humbling experience to be chosen from the amazing group of women I spent the past several days getting to know. I hope to make every one of you proud," she added.

Meanwhile, a sophomore at the Vicksburg Catholic Schools, McKenzie Cole, won the Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2022 title. She succeeds Mattie Grace Morris and will now continue to the Miss Teen USA 2022 competition. 

Photos: Miss Mississippi USA, Miss Mississippi Teen USA