Cassie Donegan, Miss New York 2025, was crowned Miss America 2026 on Sunday night at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida.
Donegan is an actress and singer, as well as the chief operations officer at Southern Sitter, a childcare booking company in New York City. She earned a bachelor’s degree in musical theater from Belmont University in Nashville and attended AMES Christian University.
Donegan, a Virginia native, will receive a $50,000 in scholarship money as Miss America and immediately start a yearlong reign.
Miss America 2025, Alabama’a Abbie Stockard, crowned her successor at Sunday’s finals competition, which streamed on the Miss America YouTube channel and PageantVision.com.
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Stockard, a Birmingham native, was prominently featured at the ceremony on Sunday, appearing at the front of production numbers and performing a contemporary dance routine to Celine Dion’s “Flying on My Own.” She also took her final walk as the national titleholder.
“Tonight, I leave this stage honored, grateful, and still in awe that it all really happened,” Stockard said in a voice-over. “I will forever hold close the people, places and moments that made this year the most meaningful one yet. Thank you, America, for letting me serve you, for trusting me with this title, for embracing me as I am, and for giving me the opportunity of loving you in return.”
The new winner, Donegan, received a glittering crown and a bouquet of roses at the end of the ceremony as a blizzard of confetti flew. She received hugs from her fellow contestants and took her first walk on stage as Miss America 2026.
Donegan sang “A Darker Shade of Blue,” from the musical “Some Like It Hot,” in the talent portion of Sunday’s finals. She answered on-stage questions, walked the runway in an evening gown, strutted in fitness clothes and more. Her community service initiative is Promoting Arts Education In Our School Systems.
Miss Alabama 2025, Emma Terry, wore this one-of-a-kind couture gown from Jovani at the Miss America pageant. It’s from The Clothes Tree by Deborah. (Will McLelland | AL.com)Will McLelland
Emma Terry, Miss Alabama 2025. made it to the top five on Sunday and was named fourth runner-up in the competition, She earned a $5,000 scholarship and was featured throughout the pageant, participating in evening gown, on-stage question, fitness and talent segments. For talent, Terry performed a ballet en pointe routine to “What a Feeling (Flashdance).”
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The top five finalists were:
Miss New York 2025, Cassie Donegan (winner).
Miss Texas 2025, Sadie Schiermeyer (first runner-up).
Miss Florida 2025, Paris Richardson (second runner-up).
Miss Georgia 2025, Audrey Kittila (third runner-up).
Miss Alabama 2025, Emma Terry (fourth runner-up).
The runners-up received $5,000-$10,000 each in scholarship money, according to the Miss America organization.
Terry took home another award, placing third for the Miss America Quality of Life Award and earning another $5,000 scholarship. This accolade honors outstanding community service and the contestants’ ability to make a lasting impact.
Terry’s community service initiative is Stomping Out ALS One Step at a Time. She grew up in Leeds, helping to care for a grandfather with ALS, and is determined to raise awareness and support research for the neurodegenerative disease.
The top 11 semi-finalists were:
Miss Alabama 2025, Emma Terry.
Miss Florida 2025, Paris Richardson.
Miss Texas 2025, Sadie Schiermeyer.
Miss Arkansas 2025, Kennedy Holland.
Miss Tennessee 2025, Zoe Scheiderich.
Miss Georgia 2025, Audrey Kittila.
Miss Maryland 2025, Maria Derisavi.
Miss New York 2025, Cassie Donegan.
Miss Mississippi 2025, Anna Leah Jolly.
Miss Kentucky 2025, Ariana Rodriguez.
Miss Illinois 2025, Nitsaniyah Fitch.
When Terry was announced as one of the top 11, pageant host Billy Gilman gave a special shoutout to Alabama, calling it a state with “sweet tea and Roll Tide pride.”
A total of 52 women competed in the Miss America finals, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
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Another contestant at this year’s Miss America pageant has a tie to Alabama. Lydia Fisher, who competed as Miss Iowa 2025, is graduate of the University of Alabama. Fisher was a Miss Alabama contestant in 2022 and 2023, during her time as a student in Tuscaloosa. She was not among the 11 semi-finalists on Sunday.
Model and actress Nikki Novak hosted Sunday’s finals ceremony along with Gilman, a country singer and 2016 finalist on “The Voice”.
Judges for the Miss America finals were Mayan Lopez, an actress who starred in the NBC sitcom “Lopez vs. Lopez”; Frank Kelleher, president of Daytona International Speedway; Frederick Anderson, a fashion designer; Jen Hale, an NFL sideline reporter for FOX; Tawny Godin Welch, Miss America 1976 and a former TV news anchor; and Nick Nanton, a producer and director.
The past week has been a busy one for the Miss America organization. Miss America’s Teen, a sister pageant to Miss America, announced its 2026 winner on Saturday, also at the Walt Disney Theater. Tess Ferm, who competed as Miss South Carolina’s Teen, took the crown.
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D’Road Cafe offers signature brunch items. See for yourself
A look at some of the brunch offerings at downtown Montgomery’s D’Road Cafe.
Every year, Americans devour an estimated 50 million burgers, a sizzling testament to the nation’s enduring passion for beef, buns and bold toppings.
From roadside diners to upscale gastropubs, the hamburger has become a culinary symbol, with each state offering its own unique twist.
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The team at Foodie has taken on the delicious challenge of finding the very best burger in every state. By combing through hundreds of customer reviews, spotlighting local award winners and even digging into regional news coverage, they’ve crafted a list that celebrates standout spots from coast to coast.
And when it comes to Alabama, one burger rises above the rest.
What is the best burger in Alabama?
In Alabama, Vicki’s Lunch Van in Montgomery claims the top spot.
What sets it apart? According to Foodie, the small, no-frills spot is “darn-near flawless,” known for freshly made cheeseburgers that taste exactly how a classic burger should.
If there’s one dish that defines the experience, it’s the Gunter Pile. This decadent creation layers a juicy burger patty with gravy and a mixture of fried and crispy onions, all atop a bed of fries. It’s messy, indulgent and distinctly Southern.
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How to grab your burger at Vicki’s Lunch Van
If you want to try Vicki’s Lunch Van, note that this Montgomery favorite typically operates during limited lunch hours. Vicki’s is located at 106 Coliseum Blvd.
A lasting legacy
According to posts shared on Facebook, the restaurant’s owner, Vicki Lammon, passed away in February 2026.
The news brought an outpouring of support and memories from devoted customers. Many spoke not just of the quality of the food, but also of the welcoming atmosphere and personal touch that made the place special.
Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter in Alabama for USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect Team. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com.
Bryce Fowler sent a no-doubter over the left field wall, the first of four home runs that No. 16 Alabama would hit in the first two innings, as the Crimson Tide slugged its way to a 10-7 over No. 11 Oklahoma in the series opener.
Justin Lebron flew out immediately after Fowler’s leadoff blast, but Brady Neal then nearly went yard himself. The ball was about an inch from clearing the wall, and instead bounced off it for a triple. Neal would come in to score off a two-out John Lemm single, giving Alabama a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.
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The Sooners would get one back in the bottom of the inning, but Alabama flipped the game upside down in the second. Justin Osterhouse and Brennan Holt were plunked, bringing Fowler back up with two on and one out. Fowler then demolished a ball to right field for the first multi-home run game of his career.
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“He’s just a tough competitor, man. That’s Bryce Fowler in a nutshell,” head coach Rob Vaughn said. “The bigger the moment, the better he is. Not only the swings last weekend, but the defense in center last weekend, and then the unbelievable at-bats really set the tone today.”
Justin Lebron then drew a five-pitch walk and, per usual, stole second. He came about as close as he has all season to getting thrown out, but slid in safely for his 24th stolen base of the season, most in the SEC by a significant margin. The shortstop then came home on a single from Neal, which marked the end of starter LJ Mercurius’ evening.
Mercurius’ season ERA rose from 3.53 to 5.11 as Alabama scored seven off him. He was replaced by his brother, Xander, who did not fare much better in that second, as Jason Torres took his first pitch of the day deep, extending Alabama’s lead to seven runs.
After Lemm recorded another hit, Osterhouse added the exclamation point with the third home run of the inning. As Oklahoma finally left the field after a Luke Vaughn groundout, Alabama held a 10-1 lead.
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Tyler Fay settled in on the mound for Alabama, putting together 1-2-3 frames in the second, third and fourth innings. On the flip side, Xander Mercurius put together a very impressive relief appearance, giving up just one more hit and keeping Alabama off the board for the rest of his night as the freshman worked into the eighth.
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The Sooners added three runs in the fifth off a pair of home runs, but that was all the offense to speak of. Fay ended up going 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs in a performance that, while obviously not at the level of his last two dominant outings, was more than enough given the run support.
Oklahoma put three more on the board in the ninth, forcing reliever Sam Mitchell out of the game after a leadoff home run and then a two-out, two-RBI triple that cut the deficit to three. Oklahoma had the tying run on deck, but Matthew Heiberger came in and recorded a strikeout to end the game and give Alabama the opener.
Alabama will play for the series win earlier than expected, as Saturday’s game was moved up from 6:30 to 1 p.m. CT due to expected inclement weather. The contest will air on SEC Network+.
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Cam Wade earned an Alabama football offer earlier this week and locked in a return visit date for an official.
Wade is a 2027 recruit, and he attends Paducah Tilghman High School in Paducah, Kentucky. Alabama is the latest program to offer the junior, but he holds previous offers from Florida, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Maryland and others.
The Kentucky product said earning an Alabama offer means a lot to him.
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“As a kid growing up watching college football, you always dreamed about Alabama,” Wade said. “Just a wonderful experience, and I’m grateful.”
Wade was on campus for a visit when he earned his offer from the Tide, and the visit was a success.
“You can feel the intensity as soon as you walk in the door,” Wade told Touchdown Alabama. “I loved that, also how close the coaching staff was with each other was also great.”
Alabama will get Wade on campus on the weekend of May 29-31 for his official visit.
Wade is an explosive wide receiver with proven speed. He holds a PR of 10.6 in the 100-meter dash and a 21.6 in the 200-meter dash. This speed translates over to the field, and it makes him dangerous in different aspects of the game.
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Watch Cam Wade’s Highlights Below:
Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.