 Hilary Cruz being crowned as Miss Teen USA 2007. Hilary Cruz alongside fellow pageant winners Riyo Mori and Rachel Smith. |
Hilary Cruz took over from Katie Blair as Miss Teen USA in late 2007. Hilary performed strongly during the pageant which saw her crowned, however the win was overshadowed after Miss Teen South Carolina Lauren Caitlin Upton struggle with her question in the final stages. This failure was seized upon by media outlets, pushing Hilary's win aside for several weeks. Hilary's reign was also disrupted by the presence of the first series of Pageant Place. The reality television show brought back previous Miss Teen USA winner Katie Blair removing Hilary from the spotlight once again. Despite these two setbacks Hilary resumed normal pageant events quickly appearing at various public events throughout her year as Miss Teen USA. |