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Brenna Connelly, a 19-year-old college student from Byron, Minnesota, representing Olmsted County, was crowned the 67th Princess Kay of the Milky Way at a private ceremony that was streamed virtually on Aug. 12.

Connelly will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for nearly 3,000 Minnesota dairy farm families. She is the daughter of Craig and Heather Connelly and attends the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

Ten county dairy princesses from across Minnesota competed for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way title. Emily Benrud of Goodhue, representing Goodhue County, and Maggie Molitor of Rockville, representing Stearns County, were selected as runners-up.

Katherine Maus of Freeport, representing Stearns County, along with Benrud and Connelly, were named scholarship winners. Molitor was also named Miss Congeniality.

Throughout her year-long reign as Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Connelly will make appearances to help connect consumers to Minnesota’s dairy farm families and bring dairy to life through conversations, classroom visits and various speaking engagements. Connelly will attend events both virtually and in-person, as it is safe to do so.

Connelly’s first official duty as Princess Kay will be to have her likeness sculpted in a 90-pound block of butter at the Dairy Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Aug. 13. Other finalists are scheduled to have their likeness sculpted as follows:

• Friday, Aug. 14: Taylor Jerde of Northfield, representing Dakota County
• Saturday, Aug. 15: Maggie Meyer of Grove City, representing Meeker County
• Sunday, Aug. 16: Maggie Molitor of Rockville, representing Stearns County
• Monday, Aug. 17: Emma Friauf of Glencoe, representing McLeod County
• Tuesday, Aug. 18: Valerie Sauder of Pine Island, representing Dodge County
• Wednesday, Aug. 19: Rebeckah Schroeder of Caledonia, representing Houston County
• Thursday, Aug. 20: Katherine Maus of Freeport, representing Stearns County
• Friday, Aug. 21: Emily Benrud of Goodhue, representing Goodhue County
• Saturday, Aug. 22: Mackenzie Craig of Alexandria, representing Douglas County

While sculpting is closed to the public, fans can tune in to watch the butter sculpting and ask questions of the finalists live on Princess Kay’s Facebook page at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Minnesota sculptor, Gerry Kulzer, an artist and teacher from Litchfield will be sculpting all the finalists. Longtime sculptor Linda Christensen will be assisting Kulzer virtually from her home in California while he sculpts Connelly.