Molly Elizabeth Tompkins was honored as “Most Beautiful” out of the 62 University of Mississippi students that dazzled the crowd at the 2026 Parade of Beauties. The annual event was held at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts by the Student Activities Association.
Tompkins, a junior integrated marketing communications major, wowed judges during the event’s evening gown and on-stage question portions. In an interview with The Daily Mississippian, Tompkins said Friday night was not her first experience competing in a pageant, having won local titles in 2019 and 2023.
“I have done local pageants in my hometown, Winona, Miss., since I was in elementary school,” Tompkins said. “I was crowned ‘Most Beautiful’ my 9th and 12th grade year at Winona High School.”
With her new platform, Tompkins plans to focus on engaging with the community.
“I would love to visit local elementary schools … and build relationships with so many students here,” Tompkins said. “I hope to make many appearances at campus events and volunteer in the Oxford community.”
All contestants participated first in the evening wear category, in which they were scored on qualities like stage presence and poise. After students from the Patterson School of Accountancy tabulated the scores, the Top 25 were announced.
The Top 25 — which actually consisted of 26 finalists due to a tie — were Marlee Appell, Baryn Brown, Becca Butler, Brooke Butler, Laurel Bossenberry, Malley Chase Faulkner, Isabella Goddard, Molly Adyson Grantham, Hannah Jane Hardman, Ali Hewitt, Miriam Hockman, Hagan Hord, Macy Kate Lindley, Mary Ashley Lindley, Brentlee Lindsey, Mallory Martin, Jacqueline Pratt, Mary Caroline Purkey, Rose Stafford, Makayla Stripling, Regan Tedder, Riley Thrasher, Molly Elizabeth Tompkins, Gracie Vanek, Rebekah Wallace and Brittyn Wheeler.
Following a brief intermission and wiping of the scorecards, the Top 25 competed in a second round of evening wear followed by a randomly chosen on-stage question. Questions included “What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?” and “What is your favorite thing about the Grove?”
The 2026 Top 10 beauties were Butler, Faulkner, Goddard, Hewitt, Hockman, Lindsey, Pratt, Thrasher, Vanek and Wallace.
The pageant featured a wide range of classifications and majors, many of who were nominated by their sororities. Baryn Brown, a freshman integrated marketing communications major who made the Top 25, was shocked to learn she had been nominated by Alpha Delta Pi.
“I knew about the Parade of Beauties, but I didn’t know it was happening right now,” Brown said. “So I was lucky enough to be nominated by my sorority.”
Top 10 contestant Riley Thrasher, a senior philosophy and political science major, was grateful for the opportunity to speak about a cause close to her heart.
“I do a community service initiative called ‘Body Beautiful,’ and as someone who struggled with an eating disorder as an adolescent, it was really important to me to be a positive role model,” Thrasher said.
Regardless of losses or wins, many of the contestants spoke on stage about the opportunity that the pageant gave them to step out of their comfort zone. The event’s self-empowerment aspect was not lost on sophomore allied health studies major Lily Beth Priggel, who watched from the audience.
“I think that it’s empowering to the girls that participate and especially the girls who got Top 10,” Priggel said. “I can’t imagine how awesome that feels.”
