Miss Utah heads for Las Vegas pageant

KAYSVILLE — If the Miss America pageant wants a makeover, Jill Stevens might be the new kind of fashionista to deliver it.

This is Sgt. Jill Stevens we're talking about here, right?

The Utah National Guard medic who spent a year in Afghanistan, treated mine and shrapnel wounds and survived rocket attacks?

The Southern Utah University student who graduated summa cum laude with a nursing degree?

The 12-time marathoner who always seems to finish in well under four hours?

The Jill Stevens who had never really worn high heels until she decided to enter the Miss SUU pageant in 2006?

The same.

Stevens kept up the heel-wearing for another year after coming in as first runner-up in the Miss Utah pageant in 2006.

In 2007, she competed for the title of Miss Davis County, won that and cleaned up this time during the Miss Utah competition in June.

As the weeklong Miss America competition gets under way in Las Vegas Jan. 21, Stevens, Utah's delegate, has a legitimate shot at winning the title, says former Miss Utah and Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes.

Hawkes, who won Miss America in 1985, was the most recent Miss Utah to take the national crown. Shortly after judging Miss America in 2006, Hawkes met Stevens for the first time.

She reiterated what she told Jill back then.

"Jill, you could win Miss America," she said.

Judging from the press and attention she's received so far, the 24-year-old from Kaysville seems to have a good shot.

Miss Utah executive director Renita Revill, who has been in the pageant world for 30 years, says what Stevens brings to Miss America is a real representation of the American woman, and that's what the Miss America organization is looking for.

"She's not afraid to admit she doesn't know a lot about walking and fashion," Revill says. "She wants to learn everything she can."

She is bringing a new fashion with her, a girl-next-door style, says friend Jo Kremin, adding that Stevens was the girl next door while they were students at SUU together.