With the field of fifty-two hopefuls being whittled down to one, Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler was chosen as the new Miss America during the 2012 Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night (January 14).

The 23-year-old beauty queen lit up the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino venue while garnering the dreamt about crown, with Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson and Miss New York Kaitlyn Monte placing second and third, respectively.