2026 Rose Court Finalists Announced Monday at Tournament House

[UPDATED] In Pasadena, where the jacaranda trees paint the streets in hues of purple, another kind of bloom was being celebrated. On the steps of the famed Tournament House, twenty-eight happy young women, finalists for the 2026 Rose Court, gathered for a photograph. Culled from a pool of applicants from 41 local schools, each is hoping to become one of the seven who will smile and wave as they ride toward the rising sun on Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Day.

The Tournament of Roses, a tradition since 1890, has long been a fixture of Pasadena’s identity. The Rose Court, a later addition, has become an institution in its own right. It is a fascinating blend of local tradition and modern-day debutante ball, a very public role that comes with a $7,500 academic scholarship, and a full calendar of community service and personal appearances.

The young women are selected not just for their poise, but for their academic achievement, their involvement in their schools and communities, and their ability to speak in public. The selection process is a month-long affair of interviews, culminating in the announcement of the seven-member court.

This year’s finalists are, as always, a diverse group, hailing from schools across the San Gabriel Valley, from the public high schools to the California Institute of Technology. They are athletes and artists, scientists and student leaders. On September 29th, seven of them will be chosen to join the ranks of the Rose Court, to become, for a year, the public faces of a historic tradition.

They will ride in the 137th Rose Parade, attend the 112th Rose Bowl Game, and become a part of Pasadena’s history, living symbols of the city’s enduring romance with the rose.

The 28 Rose Court Finalists are:

First row, from left to right:  
575 Julina Elizabeth Mireles, Gabrielino High School
522 Paloma Skye Murga, Mayfield Senior School
515 Madeline Chae, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
383 Juliana Emma Rubio, South Pasadena High School
483 Arianna Shamo, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy
350 Jaclyn Junghee Sim, Flintridge Preparatory School
564 Riya Gupta, California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
455 Olivia Lynn Ferrari, La Salle College Preparatory
586 Violet Tran, La Salle College Preparatory

Second row, from left to right:  
590 Anya Ashish Patel, Polytechnic School
537 Lola Ye, Temple City High School
536 Cozette June Rinde, La Cañada High School
612 Clare Gonzalez, San Marino High School
386 Serena Hui Guo, Arcadia High School
527 Evelyn Grace Fetterman, Pasadena High School
490 Livia Amy de Paula, Temple City High School
563 Danica Morgan Lee, San Marino High School

Third row, from left to right: 
424 Payton Anderson, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy
579 Sophia Bai Ren, Arcadia High School
580 Qianyi Wang, Arcadia High School
346 Keiko Rakin, Alhambra High School
606 Naira Elaine Wadley, John Muir High School
500 Camila Loria, Eagle Rock High School
506 Audrey Montaño, La Salle College Preparatory

Top row, from left to right: 
568 Catelyn Abagale Hodson, South Pasadena High School
517 Mia Bugarin, La Cañada High School
585 Audrey Ann Hoffman, San Marino High School
553 Olivia Hargrove, Pasadena City College