Junior Ana Brandon was crowned Miss UCA 2026. She is a journalism major with a broadcast emphasis.
Former Miss Conway 2024 and Miss Lights of the Delta 2025, Brandon was first inspired by seeing Jada Simpson win Miss UCA in 2023. Brandon was a junior in high school then has competed ever since her freshman year at UCA.
“I’ve been preparing for a really long time for this moment, so it’s a really special thing to me,” Brandon said.
Brandon has been competing in the Miss UCA pageant for three years.
“I got a trainer, I got a vocal coach, and overall I listened to constructive criticism,” Brandon said. “I really blossomed with this pageant because I took all my training into account and knew who I was overall.”
For her talent, Brandon sang an operatic vocal of “Climb Every Mountain.” Brandon won the $200 Kennedy Holland “Overall Vocal or Instrumental or Spoken Word” Award.
Her community service initiative is Foster, Highlight the Importance of the Arts.
“I was in the foster care system for two years and the arts weren’t accessible,” Brandon said, “so now that I have a second chance at life, I want to bring the arts everywhere I go to make it a more diverse journey.”
Her answer to the onstage follow-up interview question was about what specific actions she will take to expand accessibility of the arts and promote inclusion.
“The first step is to meet people where they are,” Brandon said. “I grew up on the south side of Chicago and the arts were inaccessible, but one of the most accessible resources at the time was the local library. It’s free, it’s accessible, you have so much access to technology.”
She continued, “As next Miss UCA, I will partner with the local library to ensure and cultivate the safe space in the arts so that everyone can feel seen, valued and heard because you are not disposable.”
Brandon said that success does not always define the outcome.
“It’s what you put into it,” Brandon said. “If you’re willing to put in the work, you will see the results.”
The Miss UCA competition is a 62-year-old tradition that encourages, promotes and supports young women as they achieve their academic and personal goals.
14 dynamic women competed for the 2026 Miss UCA crown on Sunday Nov. 16.
$13,800 in scholarships and awards were given to various contestants while the new Miss UCA won $6,000 in scholarship assistance and $4,000 in other awards and gifts.
Freshman Cambree Allen won the Photogenic Award and a $200 scholarship.
Sophomore Gabrielle Russell won the Bear Spirit Award and $200 scholarship.
The Academic Achievement Award was a tie awarding $100 each to grad student Izzy Saettele and sophomore Ava Walker.
Senior Abby Bounds won the Producer’s Award, Chelsea Jones Sullivan Miss Congeniality Award, People’s Choice Award and Evening Gown Award, totaling $700.
Senior Riley Strube won the $200 Ebony Mitchell “Overall Dance Performance” Award.
Fourth runner up and $300 scholarship winner Cambree Allen.Third runner up and $400 scholarship was Abby Bounds.
Second runner up and $500 scholarship was Ava Walker.
First runner up and $700 scholarship winner was Riley Strube.
Other competitors included freshman Kaitlyn Barbee, junior Carrington Crafts, sophomore Kierra Collier, senior Tina Trickey, freshman Akeela Shavers, junior Devin Mack and freshman Gracelynn King.
