Married women across the state competed in Sioux Falls for the opportunity to be crowned Mrs. South Dakota, but Dell Rapids resident Magen Richeal received the honor for 2012.

Richeal was crowned the winner in the Sioux Falls event Jan. 21.

“It’s a way of showing you can be married, have a kid, have several kids and be a well-rounded woman,” Richeal said of the honor. “It’s just about being a role model. It promotes strong, confident women.”

She beat out first runner-up Sheila Anderson of Sioux Falls, Mrs. Congeniality Karine Mishelle Pogosyan-Myrmoe of Aberdeen and Mrs. Swimsuit Kelsey Buchholz of Garretson for the top spot.

Magen is a cheer coach at Dell Rapids High School and a dance instructor at the Hip Hop Shop in Dell Rapids, as well as in Garretson.

Having grown up all over the Midwest, Richeal graduated from Dell Rapids, after which she served in the Air Force.

Following her time in the military, Magen attended the University of South Dakota and received a degree in political science.

Magen and her husband Bryan have two children, Lincoln, 8, and Konrad, 6.

Mrs. South Dakota invites competitors to choose a platform or charity to represent in the contest. Magen chose the Lutheran Social Services mentoring program.

The program has been used in nearby schools like Baltic, but it will be coming to Dell Rapids Feb. 16 for a “Try It Day” at the local public school, something that Richeal is thrilled about.

“They’re coming! That’s super exciting,” exclaimed Richeal, whose dedication to the program has caused her to make the commute to Baltic just to participate.

The portions of the contest included a swimsuit, evening gown, interview and final question section.

In her question, the eventual winner was asked how she felt about football player Tim Tebow’s public display of faith and whether or not she thought it was appropriate.

Richeal said that “he’s just being him. You have to respect someone for what they believe.”

Richeal’s friend Nikki Harrington of Dell Rapids encouraged her to participate in the event.

“I thought it would be a good thing for her to do, because I thought she would represent South Dakota really well on the national level,” said Harrington, who described the winner as well-spoken and a positive role model.

The next stage of competition is Mrs. America, which will take place May 7 at a yet-to-be-disclosed location.

With the national contest pending, Magen said she’s taking a break from thinking about it.

“Right now I’m just trying to recover from the shock of winning,” she said. “I’m just trying to let it sink in right now. It’s just been a whirlwind.”