Bachelor Nation
Catching Up With ‘The Bachelor’ Runners-Up: Where Are They Now?
Another season of The Bachelor is upon us! Grant Ellis will be handing out roses as the lead of Season 29 starting January 27.
The Bachelor premiered on March 25, 2002, and Trista Sutter (née Rehn) was the franchise’s first-ever runner-up. The massive success of the first season led to The Bachelorette, with Trista as the inaugural lead.
But what about other Bachelor runners-up through the years? Swooon is looking back at the lovely ladies who came in second place. (However, some ended up in first eventually!)
Note: Not all Bachelor runners-up are featured in this gallery (Season 5’s Tara Huckeby, Season 8’s Moana Dixon, Season 10’s Bevin Powers, Season 12’s Chelsea Wanstrath, Season 15’s Chantal O’Brien, and Season 16’s Lindzi Cox) due to lack of information about their lives today.
The Bachelor, Season 29 Premiere, Monday, January 27, 8/7c, ABC
Trista Sutter, The Bachelor Season 1
The Bachelor’s first-ever runner-up became the first star of The Bachelorette. When Trista didn’t win Alex Michel’s heart, she looked for her soulmate on the spinoff series — and she found him. Trista met and fell in love with Ryan Sutter, and the rest is history. They married in 2003 and have two kids, Maxwell and Blakesley.
Brooke Smith, The Bachelor Season 2
Brooke Smith didn’t find everlasting love with Aaron Buerge during Season 2 of The Bachelor. In the years since her appearance in the franchise, Brooke married Scott Weaver and had two kids. She’s also a yoga teacher and running coach.
Kelly Jo Kuharski, The Bachelor Season 4
Kelly Jo Kuharski was the runner-up in Bob Guiney‘s season. She found her soulmate in her husband, Matthew Higgins. They have two daughters. These days, Kelly Jo is a realtor and a hair and makeup artist.
Tanya Michel, The Bachelor Season 6
The year 2024 marked 20 years since The Bachelor Season 6. Tanya Michel was the runner-up of Byron Velvick’s season. Today, she is a health coach and corrective exercise specialist.
Krisily Kennedy, The Bachelor Season 7
Krisily Kennedy wasn’t Charlie O’Connell’s final choice at the end of The Bachelor Season 7. She went on to appear on Bachelor Pad’s first season. Krisily, who is a TV host and movie critic, married Josh Fernstrom in 2020. She has been open about her struggles with infertility.
Sadie Murray, The Bachelor Season 9
Sadie Murray was the runner-up of Lorenzo Borghese’s season, and they briefly dated after he broke up with his winner. She is a beauty and lifestyle expert who appears regularly on Extra and KCAL in California.
Jenni Croft, The Bachelor Season 11
Brad Womack famously didn’t choose between his finalists at the end of The Bachelor Season 11, making Jenni Croft a co-runner-up. She married John Badolato in 2010, and they have three kids. These days, Jenni owns the Pretty Chic Unique boutique and is a dance fitness instructor.
DeAnna Pappas, The Bachelor Season 11
DeAnna Pappas was the other co-runner-up of Brad’s season of The Bachelor. DeAnna became the lead of The Bachelorette Season 4 and got engaged to Jesse Csincsak. Their engagement came to an end, and she later married Stephen Stagliano. The couple, who have two kids, separated in 2023.
Molly Malaney, The Bachelor Season 13
Jason Mesnick had one of the most memorable Bachelor seasons ever. He got engaged to Melissa Rycroft, but he changed his mind. Jason asked his runner-up, Molly Malaney, for a second chance. Jason and Molly married in 2010 and welcomed a daughter in 2013. The couple lives in Washington, and Molly works in real estate.
Tenley Molzahn, The Bachelor Season 14
Tenley Molzahn didn’t get a ring from Jake Pavelka at the end of The Bachelor. She went on to try and find love on Bachelor Pad and Bachelor in Paradise. She is happily married to Taylor Leopold. They have two kids together.
Lindsay Yenter, The Bachelor Season 17
Lindsay Yenter was the runner-up of Sean Lowe‘s season of The Bachelor. While Sean found true love with Catherine Giudici, Lindsay went on to find her #1 man in Karl Swanson. The couple married in 2015. They live in Reno and have four kids.
Clare Crawley, The Bachelor Season 18
Clare Crawley‘s road in Bachelor Nation hasn’t been an easy one. She was famously the runner-up of Juan Pablo Galavis’ season of The Bachelor and appeared in two seasons of Bachelor in Paradise. She got engaged to Benoit Beauséjour-Savard after meeting on The Bachelor Winter Games, but they broke up months later.
Clare was the lead of The Bachelorette Season 16 and quit halfway through the season when she found love with Dale Moss. After an on-again-off-again relationship, they broke up for good in 2021. She married Ryan Dawkins in 2023 and welcomed their daughter via surrogate in 2024.
Becca Tilley, The Bachelor Season 19
Becca Tilley was the runner-up of Chris Soules’ season of The Bachelor. She returned for The Bachelor Season 20 and was sent home in Week 7. Becca has been dating singer/actress Hayley Kiyoko for over six years.
JoJo Fletcher, The Bachelor Season 20
JoJo Fletcher‘s road to love on The Bachelor came to a heartbreaking end when Ben Higgins chose Lauren Bushnell. JoJo was the star of The Bachelorette Season 12 and got engaged to Jordan Rodgers. The couple has co-hosted several shows over the years, including Cash Pad. They married in 2022.
Raven Gates, The Bachelor Season 21
Raven Gates didn’t find love with Nick Viall, but she did find her person on Bachelor in Paradise. She met Adam Gottschalk in Season 4, and they got engaged in 2019. The couple married in 2021. As of 2024, they have two kids.
Lauren Burnham, The Bachelor Season 22
Arie Luyendyk Jr.‘s season came to a dramatic end. After getting engaged to Becca Kufrin, Arie realized he wanted to be with Lauren. Arie and Lauren started dating after ending his engagement to Becca. The couple got married in 2019, and they now have three kids.
Hannah Godwin, The Bachelor Season 23
Hannah Godwin was one of the two runners-up of The Bachelor Season 23. Bachelor Nation did lead her to love on Bachelor in Paradise. She met and fell in love with Dylan Barbour during Season 6 and got engaged in the finale. They married in Paris in 2023.
Tayshia Adams, The Bachelor Season 23
Tayshia Adams was a co-runner-up of Colton Underwood‘s season of The Bachelorette. She replaced Clare as the Bachelorette in Season 16. She got engaged to winner Zac Clark. Tayshia and fellow Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe co-hosted The Bachelorette Seasons 17 and 18. In 2021, Tayshia and Zac split up.
Madison Prewett, The Bachelor Season 24
Madison Prewett was the runner-up of Peter Weber‘s season of The Bachelor. She and Peter briefly dated after he broke things off with winner Hannah Ann Sluss. Madison married pastor Grant Troutt in 2022. They are expecting their first child.
Michelle Young, The Bachelor Season 25
Matt James found love with Rachael Kirkconnell on The Bachelor Season 25. Michelle Young’s runner-up status led her to become the lead of The Bachelorette Season 18. She got engaged to Nayte Olukoya at the end of her season, but they ended their engagement the next year. Michelle began dating Jack Leius in 2023, and they got engaged in December 2024.
Gabby Windey, The Bachelor Season 26
Gabby Windey was a co-runner-up of Clayton Echard‘s season of The Bachelor and became a co-lead of The Bachelorette Season 20. She got engaged to Erich Schwer, but their relationship didn’t last. Gabby came in second place on Dancing with the Stars Season 31.
In 2023, Gabby publicly came out as gay on The View. She is currently in a relationship with Robby Hoffman.
Rachel Recchia, The Bachelor Season 26
Rachel Recchia was a co-runner-up with Gabby in Season 26. They went on to be the two leads of The Bachelorette Season 20. She got engaged to Tino Franco, but she ended their relationship when he confessed to kissing another woman. She was a contestant on Bachelor in Paradise Season 9. In 2024, she faced health complications when a kidney infection spread into her back muscles.
Gabi Elnicki, The Bachelor Season 27
Gabi Elnicki‘s romance with The Bachelor Season 27 star Zach Shallcross didn’t work out, but everything happens for a reason. Gabi is now in a relationship with Zach Espinosa.
Daisy Kent, The Bachelor Season 28
Daisy Kent‘s journey on The Bachelor Season 28 came to a heartbreaking end. When she realized Joey Graziadei was in love with Kelsey Anderson, Daisy promptly ended their relationship. In the year since the finale, Daisy has found love again with Thor Herbst, a friend from college she reconnected with.
