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Fresh off her win at Miss America 2026, Cassie Donegan spoke to PEOPLE about winning the crown at the annual pageant on Sept. 7

Donegan — who represented the state of New York at the national competition — also responded to some snarky comments online about her choice of glam

Coincidentally, the 28-year-old spoke about "authentic self-expressions" during the rapid-fire question portion of the pageant finals

Cassie Donegan was just crowned Miss America 2026 , and she's proud of everything that went into her win.

The 28-year-old represented New York at the national pageant after winning the state title this past July. On Sunday, Sept. 7, Donegan bested 52 other contestants from all 50 states on stage at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Fla.

Last year's Miss America

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