PASADENA, California, USA, September 16, 2026 — Magician Geno Ploeger is headed to the America’s Got Talent Season 21 finale after edging out singer Travis Garland in Wednesday’s semifinal results show. Comedy-magic duo Young & Strange and Canadian magician Kameron Marshall did not survive the round.
Ploeger grew up in Hartland, Wisconsin, before his family relocated to Arizona when he was 13. He’s now a senior at Arizona State University, where he’s double-majoring in acting and marketing and is set to graduate in December. He is engaged to fellow Sun Devil Sierra Boyd. They announced their engagement on April 18, 2026 with Sierra posting on Instagram, “Leveled up to fiancé status.”
He traces his start in magic to a card trick his grandfather showed him at age five. Weekly lessons at a local magic shop began at age 10. Later he interned under Season 9 champion Mat Franco. During his audition, Ploeger shared that watching Franco on AGT inspired him to pursue magic seriously.
Ploeger has established a professional magic career around close-up card work and personal storytelling, performing at corporate events, weddings, and galas across the country. His style has earned him two International Brotherhood of Magicians Close-Up titles, including first place in the adult division at the group’s Tacoma, Washington, convention. When the pandemic shut down live events, he pivoted to virtual shows, bringing his act to remote teams at companies including Comcast, Target, Salesforce, USAA, and Santander Bank, and he’s since headlined the Customer Contact Week gala at the Mirage in Las Vegas for three straight years running.
Judges gave him four yes votes in his audition, and his quarterfinal set earned a standing ovation before America’s vote sent him to the semifinal where he once again charmed and amazed the judges and audience.
Twelve acts performed in Tuesday night’s semifinal, with America’s vote deciding six finale spots. Marshall was the first magic act eliminated, losing his head-to-head against dog act Olivia Befus. Young & Strange fell later in the show, losing out to dance group Royal Lasers for one of the final two spots. Ploeger closed out the results by besting Garland for the last finale slot.
Host Terry Crews ran the results segment, with judges Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Sofia Vergara on hand while Simon Cowell remained off the panel still recovering from back surgery.
Ploeger’s win means two magic acts will compete in the finale: his own and Hundred Fingers, the Korean group that locked in a spot during the quarterfinals with a Live Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel. They’re joined by three other Golden Buzzer recipients: Lai Noelle, Nene Royal, and Unitree along with additional semifinal vote winners: Acro Canine Crew, Veronika Goroshkova, Royal Lasers, Olivia Befus, and Come Here, to round out a 10-act finale.
The America’s Got Talent finale airs Tuesday, September 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, followed by the results on Wednesday at 9 p.m.
Conjurly previously covered Ploeger’s Audition: Magician Geno Ploeger Channels Mentor Mat Franco on AGT Season 21, Quarterfinal: Magician Geno Ploeger Advances to America’s Got Talent Season 21 Semifinals, and Semifinal: Three Magic Acts Take the Stage for America’s Got Talent Season 21 Semifinals.
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