Emma Terry, Miss Hoover, Crowned Miss Alabama 2025

Miss Hoover, Emma Terry, was crowned Miss Alabama 2025 Saturday night at the Wright Center of Samford University.

A field of 43 contestants vied for the title. Terry excelled in talent, evening gown, and health and fitness competitions, as well as on-stage interviews. As Miss Alabama, she will now represent the State in the upcoming Miss America competition. 

She succeeds Abbie Stockard, Miss Alabama 2024, the reigning Miss America. Stockard placed the crown on Terry’s head and presented a bouquet of roses during the ceremony.

“I am on top of the world,” Terry told AL.com. “I can’t believe it. I have had this dream since I was 14 years old, and it’s surreal. I’m so honored, so blessed. I just knew that it was going to be in the Lord’s hands… and I put everything into this, everything I had.”

Terry, who is from Leeds, holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting from UAB. Her pageant journey is long-standing—she was runner-up in 2023 and 2024, and named Miss Alabama’s Teen in 2021.

“This organization has truly changed my life,” Terry said from the stage Saturday night. She praised the Miss Alabama “sisterhood” and recalled memorable moments from past competitions.

Her reign begins immediately, with duties that include public appearances, charity events, community speaking, and engaging with students. Her platform, Stomping Out ALS One Step at a Time, was inspired by her late grandfather, who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Terry plans to raise awareness and support through advocacy and event participation.

During finals, Terry performed a ballet en pointe routine to "Flashdance." She reflected on the experience in an Instagram post before the final round: “To share the stage with so many incredible, talented, and kind‑hearted women has been an honor I will never forget… I’m so thankful for the people who have poured into me.”

Leading up to Saturday’s finals, three days of preliminary contests tested each contestant’s poise, talent, fitness, and interview skills. Terry earned top scores Thursday for her evening gown presentation and again Friday for talent. 

Scoring used a composite system: 30% from preliminaries, 20% each from finals talent, evening gown, and fitness, and 10% for the on-stage interview.

As part of evolving pageant standards, the swimsuit segment was removed by Miss America in 2018 and by Miss Alabama in 2019. It’s now replaced by a health and fitness segment featuring activewear.

A new innovation in this year’s pageant was the People’s Choice award, which allowed the public to vote online ($1 per vote) to send one contestant directly to the top 13 semifinalists.

Terry led the final top five along with:

• First runner‑up: Hannah Adams (Miss Phenix City)
• Second runner‑up: Ruby Tilghman (Miss University of Alabama)
• Third runner‑up: Lauren Vance (Miss Tennessee Valley)
• Fourth runner‑up: Abby Sosa (Miss Hidden River)

Behind the glitz and glamour is a strong focus on scholarship. This year’s competition awarded $142,670 in scholarships, including $15,000 to Terry, $5,000 to the first runner-up, and smaller awards down the line, plus numerous additional scholarships and in-kind awards from universities. Preliminary talent winners received $500, and evening gown winners $300.

The stage also featured past Miss Alabamas and talents: former titleholders like Tammy Little Haynes (1984) and Julie Coons Peterson (1989) took part in production numbers. Addison Shoemaker, Miss Alabama’s Teen 2025, performed, and Tiara Pennington, Miss Alabama 2019–20, sang the national anthem.