HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – A trio of players in Northern Kentucky's 2016 men's basketball signing class – Carson Williams, Mason Faulkner and Dantez Walton – earned three impressive awards Tuesday night.
 
Williams (Owenton, Ky./Owen County HS) was named Kentucky's Mr. Basketball. Williams averaged 26.3 points and 10.7 rebounds while leading the Owen County Rebels to a school-record 29 wins this season.
 
"Our program and staff want to recognize and congratulate Carson for the honor of becoming Kentucky's 2016 Mr. Basketball," said head coach John Brannen. "Carson's work ethic, competitiveness and team-first mentality mirrors what we are building here at NKU and he will be a welcome addition to our family this fall."
 
"Like Carson, Mason Faulkner, Blake Spellman, Jalen Tate and Dantez Walton have all achieved tremendous team and individual success this season," Brannen continued. "We look forward to working with them."
 
Fellow Norse signee Faulkner was also up for Kentucky's top honor. He has already been named the Region V player of the year and first-team all-region honoree.
 
Although the all-state teams for Kentucky have not been released yet, Williams was a 2015 second-team honoree with current Norse and Horizon League all-freshman team member Drew McDonald. Faulkner was a third-team all-state recipient last year.
 
Walton (Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic) was tabbed the Associated Press Division III co-player of the year in Ohio after averaging 18.5 points and nine rebounds per game. The 6-foot-5 Walton has the state's top-ranked team in the Ohio state semifinals, where it will play Roger Bacon out of Cincinnati Thursday at 2 p.m. for a chance to compete for the state title.
 
Carson, Faulkner, Walton, Spellman (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit) and Tate (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) are part of NKU's signing class, which Next Up Recruits called "easily one of the best mid-major classes in the country for the class of 2016."