Photos from Miss Alabama Competition Facebook page
Four contestants in the Miss Alabama 2026 competition with ties to Hoover, Alabama, all made the Top 14 on Saturday, June 6, 2026. From left are Miss Jefferson County Elaina Burt, Miss Hoover Ali Mims, Miss Shelby County Hannah Adams and Miss University of Alabama Hailey Adams.
Four women with Hoover ties turned in strong performances at the 2026 Miss Alabama competition this past weekend at Samford University, with all four advancing to the top 14 and one finishing in the top five.
Elaina Burt, Miss Jefferson County, earned third runner-up Saturday night as Ruby Tilghman of Birmingham was crowned Miss Alabama 2026. Tilghman, a University of Alabama chemistry graduate headed to UAB School of Medicine, will represent Alabama at Miss America 2027.
Burt, a Hoover native and sophomore at the University of Alabama, also won a preliminary talent award Friday night for her classical ballet en pointe performance to a medley from "Oklahoma!" She founded Charlie's Chance, a nonprofit in memory of her cousin who had epilepsy caused by an SMC1A gene mutation, and has raised more than $100,000 for the Epilepsy Foundation through her signature fundraiser, Wings of Hope. A former Miss Alabama's Teen 2023, Burt competes in classical ballet en pointe for her talent.
Sisters Hannah Adams and Hailey Adams, both Hoover natives, each won preliminary awards Thursday night. Hannah Adams, Miss Shelby County, shared the talent award for her jazz ballet en pointe performance. Hailey Adams, Miss University of Alabama, shared the evening gown award wearing a mint green gown she designed herself.
Hannah Adams, a recent University of Alabama graduate and pediatric cancer survivor, was first runner-up at Miss Alabama 2025. She advocates for childhood cancer research through her community service initiative Hannah's Hope and has raised more than $60,000 through her nonprofit. Hailey Adams focuses her platform on raising awareness about human trafficking through her initiative Hailey H.E.A.R.S., serving as co-chairwoman of Gov. Kay Ivey's Human Trafficking Task Force.
Ali Mims, Miss Hoover, also advanced to the top 14. A Harpersville native and Chelsea High School graduate who just finished her freshman year at Samford University, Mims founded the Joyful Noise Foundation to provide musical instruments for special-needs classrooms across Alabama. She previously held the title of Miss Alabama's Teen 2024 and was first runner-up at Miss America's Teen 2025.
Outgoing titleholder Emma Terry, a former Miss Hoover who was crowned Miss Alabama 2025, crowned her successor Saturday night.
