Louisville’s Katie George had a great showing at the 2015 Miss USA pageant Sunday night.
The 21-year-old Assumption High School graduate, and University of Louisville standout volleyball player, made it into the final 11 at the pageant in Baton Rouge, La. George was named to the Top 15, but she wasn’t initially chosen to advance past that round, however, she won an online vote to be added to the Top 10.
Oklahoma’s Olivia Jordan was crowned Miss USA.
Sunday night was the culmination of the meteoric rise of George, who was crowned Miss Kentucky in January despite no prior pageant experience.
The 5-foot-10 blonde was featured several times during the pageant, which was broadcast on Reelz (it was originally scheduled to run on NBC, but the network dropped the Donald Trump-run pageant after he made inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants during a speech announcing his candidacy for president last month).
A bikini-clad George playing volleyball at Baxter Jacks was shown in the broadcast’s opening montage, along with her voiceover proclaiming herself to be a, “Division One volleyball player.”
The rising senior setter and captain of the Cardinals later enthusiastically announced she was from “Louisville, Kentucky!” during introductions while wearing a midriff-baring two-piece sequined, University of Kentucky-blue outfit (I'm guessing she didn't pick out the color).
Shortly after introductions the hosts (seriously, who were those people?) revealed the Top 15, which included George. When her name was announced a short clip ran of George telling a little bit about herself and showing her playing sand volleyball again as well as the communications major performing tasks for her internship at WLKY-TV.
Then, after the swimsuit competition, came the announcement of the Top 10. George wasn’t one of those chosen by the judges (which included former Miss Kentucky and infamous Miss USA winner Tara Conner), but it was announced that one of the remaining contestants would be added to the 10 via online voting. That’s when some groundwork George laid earlier in the day may have paid off.
Sunday, George posted a message to her supporters on social media detailing how to “vote to save me” if she was in such a situation. Apparently more than a few followed her instructions because George won the vote-off. When it was announced that she had come out on top George showed her competitive nature - one that earned her Prep Volleyball national player of the year honors in 2012 and first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors last season - by emphatically clapping her hands and yelling, “Yes!”
George then competed in the evening gown competition, showing off a high-slit navy number that drew raves from the female commentator.
George didn’t advance to the Top 5, but it was an impressive performance nonetheless for someone competing in only her second pageant.
Photo courtesy Katie George's Facebook Page
