Senior from Lawrenceburg, Tenn., crowned 50th Miss UNA

FLORENCE – Thirteen young women shared their dreams, goals, talents, and community service on a stage lit with sparkling stars Saturday night as the University of North Alabama crowned its 50th Miss UNA.

Senior Caroline Coleman, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., took home the Miss UNA title in Norton Auditorium on the UNA campus.

Coleman will now move on to compete for the title of Miss Alabama at an event that will take place later this year. Coleman is a psychology major, and she performed a classical opera aria for the talent portion of the program, which she also won. She is a member of The Roar dance team and Phi Mu sorority.

Other contestants’ talents included a fiddle performance, an archery demonstration, spoken word performances, speed painting, a piano performance, and vocal performances.

Coleman is the 50th student to be crowned with the title, a tradition that began in 1974 when Pam Long was the first student to serve as Miss UNA.

“The Miss UNA program is one of the most storied on campus as previous winners have gone on to win Miss Alabama and compete for the title of Miss America,” said Becca Bush, the Miss

UNA event organizer as well as Assistant Director, Student Activities. “We have a talented group of students participating this year, and each of them brings something unique and wonderful to the event.”

The 13 Miss UNA contestants competed in five stages, including private interview, on-stage question, health and fitness, talent/HERstory, and evening gown. In addition to Coleman, other winners included:

Chloe Lee Jones, of Tuscaloosa, as first runner-up; Savannah Young, of Alabaster, as second runner-up; Madison Pugh, of Tuscaloosa, as third runner-up; and Heidi Armstrong, of Cullman, as Miss Congeniality.

As Miss UNA, Coleman will receive a one-year tuition scholarship as well as Miss UNA custom-designed ring, provided by Creative Jewelers in downtown Florence.

The Miss UNA program is an official preliminary for the Miss Alabama and the Miss America events. The program provides an opportunity for contestants to compete for scholarship funding and pri

UNA’s University Program Council “hypeman” Brody Gravitt and 2024 Miss UNA Madeline Cooper took on emcee duties. Emcee duties are typically handled by Miss Alabama, but, having been crowned Miss America earlier this month, Miss Alabama Abbie Stockard was unavailable.