Miss Texas Named Miss USA

By Caitlin O'toole

09/16/1997 at 12:00 AM EDT

Miss Texas Kandace Krueger was crowned Miss USA 2001 on Friday night, thanks in part to celebrity judges Martha Stewart, Daniel Baldwin, MTV personality Ananda Lewis and model Karen Duffy, among others, reports the Associated Press. When pageant host William Shatner announced the winner, Krueger, a 24-year-old journalism student who attends Texas A&M University, covered her face with her hands while reigning Miss USA Lynnette Cole put a sash on her, handed her a bouquet of flowers and placed a tiara on her head. Liane Angus of the District of Columbia was first runner-up, followed by Tiffany Fallon of Georgia. The other two finalists were Gina Giacinto of Nevada and Larissa Meek of Missouri. The pageant winner will compete for the title at the Miss Universe pageant, which will be held in Puerto Rico in May.