Newly-crowned Miss America was kicked out of her sorority last year for brutally hazing recruits

  • Kira Kazantsev of New York was crowned Miss America on September 14 
  • It has been revealed that the 22-year-old was kicked out of her sorority last year for hazing recruits, making the new members' lives 'a living hell' 
  • Sources say she called the pledges names, berated them for physical flaws, and made them perform tasks that led to bruising and exhaustion
  • Neither Hofstra University or the Alpha Phi sorority issued statements after Kazantsev won the Miss America competition  
  • The Miss America organization has issued a statement in response to the allegations, saying Kira is an  'exceptional ambassador'  

Kira Kazantsev beat out 52 other young women to become the new Miss America, with her sweet performance of Pharrell's 'Happy' choreographed with a cup.

But Kazantsev was no Miss Congeniality at Hofstra University, where she was expelled from her sorority last year for hazing new recruits.

On her resume, Kazantsev lists that she was new member educator and recruitment committee president for the university's chapter of Alpha Phi, a position she reportedly shared with her best friend in the spring term of 2013.

A source told Jezebel that Kazantsev and her friend made the pledges' lives 'a living hell' by calling them names, and berating them over physical flaws.

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Not nice: New Miss America Kira Kazantsev was allegedly kicked out of her sorority last year for hazing pledges 

Not nice: New Miss America Kira Kazantsev was allegedly kicked out of her sorority last year for hazing pledges 

Silence: Neither Hofstra or the Alpha Phi sorority issued public congratulations to Kazantsev when she was crowned Miss America earlier this month. A picture of Hofstra's Long Island, New York campus picture above

Silence: Neither Hofstra or the Alpha Phi sorority issued public congratulations to Kazantsev when she was crowned Miss America earlier this month. A picture of Hofstra's Long Island, New York campus picture above

Kazantsev, pictured in the pageant's bikini round last week, said she hoped to turn the hazing allegations into a positive

Banned: After someone reported Kazantsev's actions to Hofstra officials, she was kicked out of the sorority and banned from attending any of the society's events. She allegedly sneaked into the end-of-year formal anyway. Pictured above during the swimsuit competition

The terrifying duo reportedly made the new members perform certain physical tasks to the point of bruising and exhaustion.

When someone reported the harsh punishments, Kazantsev and her friend were kicked out of the sorority, near the end of her senior year. 

They were banned from attending any sorority events, but allegedly sneaked into the society's end-of-year formal with their dates anyway.

After she was crowned Miss America for 2015 last week, neither the university or the sorority issued statements of congratulations.

When a Jezebel reporter called up the university to ask about a 'high-profile individual who was expelled from her sorority in late April 2013', a representative said 'Was this person, by chance, in Atlantic City last Sunday night?'

However, that representative wasn't allowed to say more on the disciplinary matter, per FERPA laws.  

The Miss America organization has since issued a statement on the hazing allegations, saying Kira has been  'fully transparent' about her termination from Alpha Phi. 

'It's unfortunate that this incident has been exploited to create a story line that distracts from what we should be focusing on: Kira's impressive academic achievements at Hofstra University, including earning a triple major from the Honors College and her commitment to serving her community. 

'Kira is an exceptional ambassador for the Miss America Organization, and we are excited to be a part of her journey as a force for good across our nation, promoting education and service and working to empower young women,' the statement reads.

Kazantsev graduated from the Long Island university in 2013 with honors and three degrees in Political Science, Geography and Global Studies.

The daughter of Russian immigrants, Kazantsev is fluent in English, Spanish and Russian. 

She was the third-consecutive Miss New York to be crowned Miss America, and has viciously defended her internship at Planned Parenthood.   

'It was close to my university and I care about women's health. It's really important that teens know what resources are available to them and learn to be respectful of their bodies and other peoples' bodies,' she told Cosmopolitan. 

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Harsh: Sources say Kazantsev made the new members' lives 'a living hell' and even made them perform physical tasks to the point of bruising. Pictured above performing her talent at last week's pageant

Harsh: Sources say Kazantsev made the new members' lives 'a living hell' and even made them perform physical tasks to the point of bruising. Pictured above performing her talent at last week's pageant

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