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Cassie Donegan was crowned Miss America 2026 in Orlando on September 7, 2025, making her the 98th woman to hold the historic title.
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In the middle of her year-long reign, the beauty queen says she’s been able to avoid a lot of pressure thanks to her goal-oriented mindset and lack of expectations.
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Donegan tells PEOPLE that she is grateful to rely on the support of the many Miss America titleholders who have come before her.
As the 98th woman to hold the title of Miss America, Cassie Donegan doesn’t shy away from the power and prestige of the title she holds, and she’s under no pressure.
After winning her own beauty pageant in New York, the singer and actress, 28, went on to the national pageant at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Fla. On September 7, 2025, Donegan was crowned Miss America 2026, giving her the coveted crown, sash and $50,000 in scholarship money.
In the past months, he toured the country, appeared in events, fulfilled his commitment to charity and even got the chance to show his love and talent as a player.
Cassie Donegan is crowned Miss America 2026 in Orlando, Fla. on September 7, 2025.
Credit: Miss America Organization
Donegan tells PEOPLE that some of his favorite moments of his reign so far have been at sporting events. He sang the national anthem at the Daytona 500 race, and “volunteered” with the band at a Super Bowl weekend party in San Francisco.
Most of all, though, he says it was a surprise to meet new people, many of whom would not have believed they had met the winner of such a prestigious competition. “I hear from people all the time, ‘I’ve never met Miss America before,’ but they forget that I’ve never met them,” Donegan says. “And to me, that’s cool.”
He continues, “Because yes, it is a unique symbol and I am very proud to wear it across my heart. But at the same time, I am amazed by their stories and the things that make them unique when they meet Miss America.”
Not to mention the fact that Donegan felt the same incredible feeling of meeting the Miss America title holder. He has also been able to create great, personal relationships with many of them, from 2025 winner Abbie Stockard to beauty queens like Miss America 1969 Judy Ford Nash, whom he met recently.
“That legacy — they’re really tight and strong together and I’m grateful that they support me,” Donegan said of the Miss America sisters. “There’s a lot of pressure that goes with it, but it starts to take off when you realize that a lot of it is put on by you. It’s not like that outside, especially when you have women who have done it before supporting you.”
He highlights how “letting go” of the expectations of others has helped him lose a lot of weight. “Every year of Miss America is very different and they base it on what they’ve seen before,” says Donegan. “That’s why I always say that expectations are something we should try not to have and just allow for the greatness of what will be.”
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The career actor credits his experience in the entertainment industry for preparing him for that kind of sense of purpose. It’s something he’s used to, Donegan says. “Live theater has so many variables that you can’t control,” he adds. “I don’t think anything has scared or surprised me.”
“I decided from the beginning that it was going to be an amazing year because I wanted it to be an amazing year, and I think you get comfortable with your fists, you know what I mean?” he tells PEOPLE. “I mean, yes, some days that pressure is going around in your head, but I’m so thankful to have so much support through every day of this.”
Read the original article on People
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