A San Diego woman gets to wear the tiara this year.
San Diego native Carrie Prejean got the nod from the judges at the Palm Springs Rivera on Nov. 23, 2008. Prejean, 21, attends San Diego Christian College, where she is studying to become a special-ed elementary school teacher. The beauty-pageant queen was Miss Greater San Diego in 2007.
Prior to winning the 2009 crown, Prejean has been a member of the San Diego Padres' Pad Squad as well as as a finalist for a case model on "Deal or No Deal." Carrie even modeled for E! Entertainment at the Academy Awards.
