New Miss New Jersey Crowned at Pageant in Ocean City

Katharyn Nicolle, a 19-year-old Dickinson College student from Wenonah in Gloucester County, was crowned Miss New Jersey on Saturday night at the conclusion of a three-day pageant on the Ocean City Music Pier.

Nicolle will represent New Jersey in the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas in January.

First runner-up was Roopali Pendse, a 23-year-old Rutgers University student from Morris Plains, and second runner-up was Katie Berry, 22, a Fordham University student from Mount Laurel. Rounding out the top five were Vanessa Baez, 21, of Bloomfield, and Anna Negron, 19, of Vineland.

Nicolle's platform is "Reading for the Right Reason," and she spoke of adopting a whale (through charitable contributions) during the interview portion of the pageant.

About 1,000 people watched Saturday night's pageant finale on the Ocean City Music Pier, where the annual event has been held since 1995.

The night started with an announcer introducing "23 spectacular Jersey girls," but the field was quickly narrowed to the Top 10.

Each of the finalists performed a talent and displayed swimsuit and evening gown wear. Only the Top 5, announced later in the evening, were interviewed by emcee Dena Blizzard, Miss New Jersey 1995.

The event included a tribute to a beloved pageant volunteer, the late Sylvia M. Barthold. The pageant also recognized Steven Trauger, an Ocean City High School technology coordinator who has volunteered with pageant productions for 15 years.