HBCU alumna, former NFL cheerleader wins Miss Black USA

An HBCU alumna has been named Miss Black USA. Brandi Hopson, a Winston-Salem State alumna, won the national pageant on Saturday. She qualified for the pageant after serving as Miss Black North Carolina USA.

Hopson spoke about the win in a post on her Instagram account.

“There are some moments in life that you dream about, some that you pray for, and some that you never could have imagined were waiting for you…Signing on as your Ms. Black USA 2026.”

Hopson graduated from Winston-Salem State in 2015 and made her mark as a member of the powerhouse of red and white, the university’s acclaimed cheerleading squad. She then went on to pursue the goal of being an NFL cheerleader with the in-state Carolina Panthers TopCats team.

Per HBCU Gameday, she tried out for the TopCats in 2015, but she didn’t make the team. However, six years later, she tried out and made the team in 2021. She ultimately went on to serve as a captain of the Top Cats and was selected as a Pro Bowl cheerleader in 2025.

The Miss Black USA pageant was founded to empower Black women around the nation. A statement on the Miss Black USA website showcases the purpose and creed of the organization.

“Miss Black USA PAGEANT and scholarship foundation, inc. is more a career pipeline. We fund the futures of Black women, building the next generation of lawyers, doctors, founders, and changemakers, one crown, one scholarship, and one legacy at a time,” the website statement read.

Hopson now joins a legacy of HBCU alumni who have held the title, as several HBCU alumni vyed for the position this year.

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