Northern Kentucky University Athletics

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The 2017 Horizon League Men's Basketball Champion and NCAA Tournament participant Northern Kentucky Norse have been on campus in summer workouts since early June. NKU is looking to use the summer workouts as a chance to improve on last season's success and continue to build the program into the preeminent team in the Horizon League.
 
"I've really appreciated our players' focus and energy level towards the summer and the camaraderie they've built over the course of the last eight weeks," said head coach John Brannen. "We've been able to hit the ground running, but we don't want to miss any steps. A part of the process of improving over the course of this summer has been understanding that we have a new mountain to climb. You don't climb that mountain by starting at the top."
 
Northern Kentucky returns 10 players from last year's Horizon League Championship and NCAA First Round Team that posted a 24-11 regular-season record and 12-6 mark in the league, earning a share of third-place.
 
First team all-Horizon League performer Drew McDonald, who was also named to the all-tournament and all-academic teams, returns to lead the Norse during his junior campaign.
 
"Summer workouts have been going very well," said Drew McDonald. "We've put the past behind us. We have a lot of guys returning, so we know what it takes to get to the league championship. We know that we have to work harder because everyone is going to circle us on the calendar."
 
Horizon League tournament MVP Lavone Holland II returns for his senior season. His message echoes McDonald's.
 
"We have to do more now that we have won a league championship. It's been intense and tough this summer, but it's all going to pay off," said Lavone Holland II.
 
The Norse also return all-freshman team honoree Carson Williams and two-year starter Jordan Garnett, as well as a bevy of players that includes Mason Faulkner, Dantez Walton, Jeff Garrett and Tre Cobbs. NKU also regains the services of Jalen Tate, who started all eight games before suffering a season-ending wrist injury last year. Walk-on Nick Ayers will still suit up for the Norse as well.
 
Added to the fold for the coming year is seven-footer Chris Vogt, a freshman center from Mayfield, Kentucky (Graves County High), and Tyler Sharpe, a sophomore transfer walk-on guard from Louisville. Vogt enters as one of the most-prolific shot blockers at the high school level in the history of the state.