Jordon Hudson Opens Up About Miss Maine USA Loss and How She Leaned on Bill Belichick Afterwards

Jordon Hudson is reflecting on her pageant experience as she celebrates a friend and fellow New England contestant.

On Tuesday, Hudson posted a lengthy, emotional Instagram post paying tribute to Melissa Sapini, who won the 2024 Miss Massachusetts USA pageant. On June 15, Sapini gave up her crown to this year’s winner, and Hudson reflected on her friend’s reign as the title holder alongside a carousel of their photos together.

The former cheerleader, 24, began by recalling how she and Sapini both competed in Miss Maine USA and Miss Massachusetts USA — which are both run by the Clemente Organization — in 2024.

While Sapini won the crown for Massachusetts, Hudson placed second for Miss Maine USA. In her Instagram post, she compared the feeling to “a death sentence.” Hudson competed again in the Miss Maine USA 2025 pageant in May, this time placing third.

“Like a good loser, I mustered up the best fake smile I could. Minutes later, as the starry crown was placed over your perfect bun, my fake smile became an involuntary one,” she continued in her caption. “I had hoped the stars would align for us to share the titleholder experience, but I was happy that my friend was Universe-bound on her rocket.”

Referencing her boyfriend, Bill Belichick, 73, Hudson went on to remember the emotions of being named Maine’s 2024 runner-up.

“I slipped out of the Marriott and folded into my obscurity, a box of Thin Mints and the arms of a man who silently understood the gravity of the loss; still happy for my friend,” the New England native wrote.

In the following paragraph, she admired Sapini for staying “down to earth while up in space,” especially since she herself had placed second twice before winning. Hudson also shared how she cheered for Sapini when she placed in the top 10 at the national Miss USA pageant last year.

In her earnest, encouraging conclusion, Hudson seemed to nod to an incident that took place in Nantucket last winter, when she reportedly encountered Belichick’s ex, Linda Holliday, at a Christmas party.

Addressing Sapini in her latest Instagram post, Hudson wrote, “I know you will keep shining, metamorphosing and taking up space; even when others threaten you and insist that you don’t belong, e.g. the ‘Nantucket Socialites.'”

Months after the December Dreamland Stroll Party — which was DJed by Holliday’s daughters, Ashley and Kat Hess — a source told PEOPLE that Hudson was asked to leave after an “uncomfortable” confrontation with various attendees associated with Holliday.

“Jordon never approached anyone, but she was approached the entire night, with people asking, ‘Oh, why are you here?’ Like high school, mean girl things,” the source told PEOPLE in May.

At the time of reporting, neither Holliday nor Hudson responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

In May, Sapini spoke to PEOPLE to defend Hudson and her relationship with the former NFL coach, which began in early 2023. The Massachusetts pageant queen urged the public to refocus their scrutiny away from the wintertime party and instead look to Belichick’s current work coaching collegiate football at UNC.

“While I understand the attention around the Dreamland event, I just feel like it’s pulling focus from what really matters now,” Sapini told PEOPLE last month. “What I do want to highlight is the incredible work and dedication of the UNC football team.”

Referring to the players, she continued, “These young men have trained for years to get to this moment in their careers, and they deserve to be the center of attention.”