21-year-old Vestavia Hills resident Abbie Stockard wins Miss Alabama 2024 crown

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The third time was the charm for Vestavia Hills resident Abbie Stockard, who was crowned Miss Alabama 2024 at Samford University’s Wright Center Saturday night.

The 21-year-old Auburn University nursing student, who was competing as Miss Hoover 2024, captured the crown in her third time to be in the competition.

Stockard competed in Miss Alabama as Miss Cahaba Valley in 2022 and as Miss Trussville in 2023 and placed in the top five both years. This year, it was clear she was a favorite going into Saturday night’s finals for 2024 after winning her evening gown preliminary on Wednesday night and talent preliminary Friday night.

For her talent, Stockard performed a contemporary dance to Lauren Daigle’s song “You Say.”

Stockard, who hopes to obtain a doctorate of nurse anesthesia with a specialty in pediatrics, also won the Miss Alabama science, technology, engineering and math scholarship and was one of seven finalists for the Miss Alabama Community Service Award. Her community service initiative is to bring awareness to cystic fibrosis, and she has been raising money to fight the disease for more than a decade.

Others in the top five Saturday night were first alternate Miss Jefferson County Emma Terry of Leeds, second alternate Miss Jubilee Maddi Heath, third alternate Miss University of Alabama Marissa Luna of Hoover and fourth alternate Miss Mobile Bay Hannah Adams of north Shelby County.

Stockard’s personal win as Miss Alabama 2024 also served as a double win for the Miss Hoover Foundation. Miss Hoover’s Teen for 2024, Ali Mims was crowned Miss Alabama’s Teen in March. Now, both Stockard and Mims will go to Orlando in January to compete in the Miss America and Miss America’s Teen competitions.

Julie Bentley, director of the Miss Hoover Foundation, said she is not 100% certain but she believes this is the first time the winners of Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama’s Teen came from the same preliminary competition.

“These girls are just the salt of the earth,” Bentley said. “They’re just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. I’m just tickled for them. … It’s possible they could be the next Miss America and Miss America’s Teen, each representing Hoover.”

Bentley said she is super excited for Stockard, who went into the finals Saturday night with her knee bothering her a little bit after a long week of activities.

“She just pressed right through it,” Bentley said. “It’s kind of a survival-of-the-fittest thing for sure.”

Another interesting fact is that Stockard’s college roommate, Diane Westhoven, was crowned Miss Alabama USA on June 1. Westhoven, also a 21-year-old from Vestavia Hills, now goes on to compete in the Miss USA competition.

Read more about Stockard here, more about Mims here and more about Westhoven here.