Brandi Hopson, a former Carolina Panthers cheerleader and WSSU cheer captain, added another national accomplishment to her résumé on Saturday as the former HBCU cheerleader was crowned Ms. Black USA.
Hopson represented North Carolina in the national competition after earning the title of Ms. Black North Carolina USA. Her victory was announced Saturday, Aug. 8, through the Miss Black USA pageant’s social media platforms.
The achievement marks another milestone for the Winston-Salem State University graduate. Hopson earned her degree from WSSU in 2015 after cheering with the university’s Powerhouse of Red and White.
She later took her talents from the HBCU stage to the NFL.
From WSSU to the Carolina Panthers
Hopson initially auditioned for the Carolina Panthers TopCats in 2015 but did not make the team. She continued working toward that goal and eventually earned a spot on the squad in 2021.
Her career with the Carolina Panthers included serving as a TopCats captain. Hopson also represented the organization as its 2025 Pro Bowl cheerleader.
Her road to that honor included a personal comeback.
Hopson gave birth to a premature son in January 2024. After both mother and baby recovered, she began working to regain her physical conditioning.
She recovered, earned another spot with the TopCats and returned to the sidelines for the 2024 Carolina Panthers season. Hopson later stepped away from the squad, closing that chapter after accomplishing one of the biggest goals of her career.
She also maintained her connection to WSSU. Hopson returned to Bowman Gray Stadium with the TopCats when the Carolina Panthers cheerleaders performed alongside the Powerhouse during a Rams football game.
A new national platform
Now the former HBCU cheer captain has succeeded on another major stage.
Hopson entered the national competition as Ms. Black North Carolina USA 2026. Her platform, “Mentorship in Motion,” centers on helping others through mentorship and personal development.
Her journey from the WSSU Powerhouse to the Carolina Panthers already provided an example of persistence. Returning to the TopCats after becoming a mother added another layer to that story.
Becoming Ms. Black USA gives Hopson a national platform to share that message with a larger audience.
For Winston-Salem State, Hopson becomes another alumna representing the university beyond athletics. Her latest crown connects the HBCU experience, professional sports, motherhood and the pageant world through one journey.
Hopson will now begin her reign as Ms. Black USA, adding a national crown to a story that already includes WSSU, the Carolina Panthers and the Pro Bowl.