California's Alyssa Campanella Crowned Miss USA

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Alyssa Campanella, a 21-year-old, self-confessed "history geek" representing California was crowned Miss USA Sunday night at the Planet Hollywood Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Campanella, who was born and raised in New Jersey won out in the pageant of fifty-one beauty queens from around the country.

Miss Tennessee (Ashley Durham) came in second, Miss Alabama (Madeline Mitchell) was third, and Miss Texas (Ana Christina Rodriguez) was fourth.

Alyssa Campanella will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 12.

Judges for Miss USA 2011 included Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler, chef Rocco DiSpirito, actress and writer Mariel Hemingway, Penn & Teller star Penn Jillett, rapper Lil Jon, "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Caroline Manzo and OPI co-founder Suzi Weiss-Fischmann.