June 2, 2025:
Jamee Kattner was crowned Miss South Dakota 2025 at Saturday night’s competition. Kattner is from Huron and graduated from SDSU with a major in music education this spring. Kattner won a $13,000 scholarship with the title, and a $500 South Dakota Strong award.
Kattner’s community service initiative is “Melodies of Joy: Music’s Power to Inspire.” As her talent, she sang “Art is Calling Me,” an operatic vocal from the Enchantress by Victor Herbert. She is the daughter of Linc and Kristi Kattner and competed as Miss Siouxland.
First runner-up was Katie Milbrandt, Brookings, garnering a $5,000 scholarship. Milbrandt also won a $1,000 South Dakota Strong award, the $1,000 Dorothy Barnett Award for top overall interview, as well as a $750 STEM scholarship and a $1,000 Community Service Award.
Second runner-up was Kianna Healy of Harrisburg, receiving a $4,000 scholarship. Healy also won a $500 preliminary health and fitness award and a $500 South Dakota Strong award, as well as the $1,000 Ray Peterson Rookie of the Year award given to the highest placing delegate competing at Miss South Dakota for the first time.
Third runner-up was Emily Deinken of Sioux Falls, receiving a $3,000 scholarship. Deinken also won a $1,000 preliminary talent award.
Natalie Biegler of Timber Lake was fourth runner-up, receiving a $2,000 scholarship. Biegler also earned the top South Dakota Strong award for $5,000, the Sylvia Tannehill Kindness Award for $1,000, and the Hunter Widvey Medical Scholarship for $500.
Rounding out the top ten semi-finalists, each receiving a $750 scholarship, were Payton Steffensen of Sioux Falls, Jenisha Gurung of Vermillion, Sydney Morgan of Hot Springs, Adrian Gruis of Onida, and Thea Tanton of La Vista, NE.
Payton Steffensen received preliminary awards for talent of $1,000 and health and fitness for $500.
Adrian Gruis took home the $500 Miss South Dakota Legacy award and also received $500 for being the top fund-raiser.
Jenisha Gurung received the $1,000 Stan Nase Business scholarship.
Sydney Morgan received a $500 South Dakota Strong award as well as a $750 STEM scholarship.
Javonte Madsen of Rapid City accepted the most talented non-semifinalist ($250 award). Julia Stanek received the highest score for non-finalist in interview ($250).
Miss Congeniality was Olivia Walz of Mitchell.
Twenty women from across the state competed for the title. All won scholarships, totalling $54,250. Each of the non-semi-finalists received a $300 scholarship.
Kattner will represent South Dakota at the Miss America Competition this September.
Jamee Kattner, Miss South Dakota 2025.
Courtesy photo.
May 30, 2025:
Twenty young women from across the state will showcase their talents, public speaking skills, fitness, poise and stage presence in the 78th annual Miss South Dakota competition, taking place in Brookings through Saturday (May 31, 2025).
Ranging in age from 19 to 26 and representing hometowns from throughout the state, the contestants will compete for over $54,000 in cash and scholarships. The new Miss South Dakota will take home at least $13,000 in scholarships and awards and will represent the state at the Miss America competition in September.
Women from central South Dakota competing for Miss South Dakota 2025 are 19 year old Adrian Gruis from Onida and 20 year old Natalie Biegler from Timber Lake.
Adrian Gruis.
Courtesy photo.
Natalie Biegler.
Courtesy photo.
The candidates will be judged on a private interview with the judges (30%), talent/HER Story™ (20%), health and fitness (20%), evening gown (20%) and on-stage conversation (10%).
All competitions take place at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center on the South Dakota State University campus in Brookings. The finals will begin at 6:30pm Saturday.
The women competing are (name, age, title, hometown, talent, and community service initiative):
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Adrian Gruis, 19, Miss Rushmore, Onida, Talent: Vocal, Community Service Initiative: Love is Safe
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Natalie Biegler, 20, Miss Hub City, Timber Lake, Talent: Unicycle/Monologue, Community Service Initiative: Career Catalyst: Launching Young People into their Futures
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Emily Deinken, 26, Miss Brookings, Sioux Falls, Talent: Flute, Community service initiative: Advocate for Educators
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Jamee Kattner, 21, Miss Siouxland, Huron, Talent: Vocal, Community service initiative: Melodies of Joy: Music’s Power to Inspire
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Javonte Madsen, 21, Miss Dakota Prairie, Rapid City, Talent: Vocal/Ukulele, Community service initiative: Common Ground
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Jenisha Gurung, 19, Miss USD, Sioux Falls, Talent: Semi Classical Kathak Dancing, Community service initiative: Putting a Period on Period Poverty
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Jensine Matson, 21, Miss Huron, Ramona, Talent: HER Story™, Community service initiative: Speak Your Power: Childhood Trauma Awareness
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Jordan Wagner, 20, Miss State Fair, Bridgeport, NE, Talent: HER Story™, Community service initiative: Agriyouth: Growing Our Future
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Julia Stanek, 21, Miss Hot Springs, Sioux Falls. Talent: HER Story™, Community service initiative: Fueling South Dakota: Eliminating Hunger
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Katie Milbrandt, 23, Miss Rolling Plains, Hudson, WI. Talent: Gymnastics, Community service initiative: Speak Up: Stopping the Stigma by Starting the Conversation
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Kianna Healy, 22, Miss Black Hills, Hartford. Talent: Vocal, Community service initiative: Dare to Speak
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Lilly Mae Blume, 19, Miss Central States Fair, Redfield. Talent: Broadway dance, Community service initiative: Becoming the SHE.E.O of your life after depression
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Megan Rezac, 21, Miss Railroad Junction, Papillion, NE, Talent: Vocal, Community Service Initiative: Bridging the Gap: Building Accessible Communities
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Olivia Granaas, 23, Miss Sioux Falls, Vermillion, Talent: Dance, Community service initiative: Ears For Education
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Olivia Walz, 20, Miss Fall River Balloon Festival, Mitchell, Talent: HER Story™, Community service initiative: You Are Not Alone: A Journey of Hope, Healing, and Empowerment
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Payton Steffensen, 22, Miss Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Talent: Musical Theatre Acro Dance, Community service initiative: Networthing: Save, Invest, Soar
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Rylin Yerdon, 22, Miss McCrory Gardens, Harrisburg, Talent: Vocal, Community service initiative: Pursuing Success: Women Belong in Business
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Sydney Morgan, 20, Miss SDSU, Hot Springs, Talent: Vocal, Community service initiative: Community at Heart: Connecting Generations
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Sydney VanDenHemel, 19, Miss Pride of the Dakotas, Sioux Falls, Talent: Tuba, Community service initiative: Better is Coming
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Thea Tanton, 20, Miss Missouri River, La Vista, NE, Talent: Speed Painting, Community service initiative: Ripples of Change: A Lifeguard’s Call to Action for Water Safety
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