The 5-foot-6 junior won her third-straight Class 6A state meet this past season with a time of 19:41.9, breaking the tape 21.9 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor and leading the Wolves to a second-place finish as a team. A three-time Class 6A First Team All-State selection, Carson won seven of nine races this fall and was the top Arkansas finisher at the Nike Cross Nationals South Regional championships, placing 55th in 19:17.64.
Carson has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
A flautist in the school band, Carson is a member of the Lake Hamilton High student council and Junior Class Advisory Board. She has volunteered locally as a teacher's aide at St. John's Catholic School and as a youth volleyball coach. "Josie is an incredible runner," said Sharon Jones, head coach of Siloam Springs High. "She seems very poised in competition and humble on the awards stand."