Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton was crowned Miss USA 2009 on Sunday. (Click here for gallery)

The Miss North Carolina contestant beat 50 other beauty queens in the live pageant held at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The 22-year-old Kristen Dalton will now represent the United States in the Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas this coming August. Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, of San Diego, was named first runner-up and Miss Arizona USA Alicia-Monique Blanco, of Phoenix was second runner-up.

Kristen Dalton has quite the family history with Pageants. Her mother was Miss North Carolina USA in 1982 and her sister was Miss North Carolina Teen USA in 2008.

(Xinhua/Agencies April 20, 2009)