Maddie Marchant, a 22-year-old college student from Lebanon, Virginia, was crowned Miss Virginia 2026 on Saturday evening at the Berglund Center for the Performing Arts Theatre in Roanoke. Marchant, previously Miss Lynchburg, won $21,000 in scholarships.
A rising senior at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee, Marchant is pursuing a degree in Media & Communications with a minor in Political Science. Her career ambition is to become a news anchor and grow the local news presence in Southwest Virginia.
Each delegate within Miss Virginia Opportunity, Inc. champions a community service initiative (CSI). Marchant’s CSI is “InvisibAILITY,” which focuses on helping those with invisible disabilities and diseases feel seen and heard across the Commonwealth.
During the competition week, Marchant earned several honors, including:
- Miss Virginia 2025 — $20,000 scholarship
- Overall Interview Award — $1,000 scholarship
Marchant performed a hip hop clogging routine to “Uptown Funk” in the talent competition.
As Miss Virginia 2026, Marchant will spend the next year traveling statewide as a motivational speaker and goodwill ambassador. She will visit more than 70 elementary schools as a spokesperson for the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, promoting healthy lifestyle choices and substance abuse prevention, as well as her own community service initiative.
Miss Virginia 2026 Runners-Up:
- 1st Runner-Up: Susanna Shedd, Miss Roanoke Valley County — $6,500 scholarship
- 2nd Runner-Up: Madison Ramsingh, Miss Southampton County — $5,000 scholarship
- 3rd Runner-Up: Jordan Welker, Miss Piedmont Region — $3,500 scholarship
- 4th Runner-Up: Ani Dykes, Miss Cardinal — $2,500 scholarship
Miss Commonwealth’s Teen Crowned Miss Virginia’s Teen 2026
Also crowned Saturday night was Miss Virginia’s Teen 2026, Caedyn Riddle, a 16-year-old high school student from Rocky Mount. Riddle won a total of $5,750 in scholarship awards.
A rising sophomore at Franklin County High School, Riddle’s community service initiative, “Stronger Than the Silence,” brings awareness to child sexual abuse, child abuse and sexual assault.
During the competition week, Riddle earned several honors, including:
- Miss Virginia’s Teen 2025 — $5,000 scholarship
- Preliminary Onstage Interview Award — $250 scholarship
- Overall Teen Health & Fitness — $500 scholarship
Riddle performed a Broadway vocal to “Don’t Rain on My Parade” in the talent competition.
Both Marchant and Riddle will represent Virginia at the Miss America and Miss America’s Teen Competitions in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2025.
This year, Miss Virginia Opportunity, Inc. awarded nearly $80,000 in cash scholarships, along with additional in-kind tuition scholarships. Fifty Miss candidates and 24 Teens participated in the competition.
Miss Virginia Opportunity is a part of the Miss America Opportunity, one of the nation’s largest service organizations and providers of scholarships for young women. Four Miss Virginias have earned the Miss America crown, and one state Teen titleholder has gone on to win the national Teen competition.
Follow Maddie and Caedyn on their journey throughout the year:
- Facebook: facebook.com/crownmissva
- Website: www.missvirginia.org
- Instagram: @missamericava | @missamericasteenva
