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Megan Bazant Hiykel, 20, of Brookings, Brookings County, South Dakota, United States is originally from Papillion, Sarpy County, Nebraska, USA. She is an alumna of Papillion-La Vista Public Schools in Papillion.

Currently, Hiykel is attending South Dakota State University in Brookings. Founded in 1881, it is the second oldest continually operating university in South Dakota.

Megan Hiykel

Hiykel is Fred Hiykel III and Valerie Bazant Hiykel‘s daughter. Megan’s brother Anthony Bazant studied biology at Bellevue University in Bellevue, Sarpy County.

From 2018 to 2019, Megan attended Stepper-ettes Baton & Dance, a dance school in La Vista, Sarpy County. In May 2023, she received an award of excellence from the First Responders Foundation.

On May 18, 2024, Megan’s brother Anthony married Elizabeth Dike in North Bend, Dodge County, Nebraska. Megan was one of the bridesmaids.

Miss USA 2025

On August 8, 2025, Megan competed against four other Miss South Dakota USA 2025 candidates at the Franklin Center in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. She won the title.

Representing South Dakota, Megan will compete against 50 other Miss USA 2025 candidates. The date and venue of the coronation ceremony have yet to be announced.

It is the 74th edition of the national beauty pageant that selects the Miss Universe candidate of the U.S. Among Megan’s fellow candidates are Savannah Miles, 24, of Georgia, Nikolina Vujcic, 23, of Illinois, Sydney Shrewsbury, 24, of Indiana, Mattie Barker, 22, of Kentucky, McKenzie Cole, 19, of Mississippi, Shae Smith, 21, of Missouri, Audrey Eckert, 23, of Nebraska, Mary Sickler, 23, of Nevada, Olivia Redding, 20, of North Dakota, Taylor Lauren Davis, 24, of Texas, Elle Hinojoas, 24, of Utah and Erin Wellman, 23, of West Virginia.

If Megan wins, she will make history as the first Miss USA from South Dakota, which currently has five placements in the national beauty pageant. The Miss USA 2025 winner will represent the U.S. at Miss Universe 2025 at the Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand on November 21, 2025.