When Carter Welling went to the floor with a torn ACL during ACC Tournament game in Charlotte, everyone held their breath.
But just three months later, there’s a whole lot more hope in the air.
Coach Brad Brownell gave Tiger fans reason to smile on Wednesday, sharing that Welling’s recovery is moving in the right direction. There’s no set date for his return just yet, but the hope inside the program is that Welling will be back in orange at some point during the 2026-27 season.
"We're hopeful that if he's doing well and he wants to play, he'll play. Maybe that's December or January," Brownell said.
The exact timing is still a mystery, but Brownell mentioned that a midseason comeback is on the table, with December or January as possible targets. It all comes down to how Welling attacks his rehab in the months ahead—something Tiger fans know he’ll do with everything he’s got.
Welling’s injury cut short what was shaping up to be a breakout first season in Tiger Town. In 32 games, with 24 starts, the 6-foot-10 forward proved he belonged, averaging 10.2 points and 5.4 boards while anchoring the paint on defense. He shot nearly 50 percent from the field and even stretched defenses with his three-point touch—a true weapon for Brownell’s squad.
Before he ever donned the orange and purple, Welling was already making noise. At Utah Valley, he racked up WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and all-conference recognition, putting up 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. The guy’s a proven difference-maker, wherever he goes.
The Draper, Utah native started out at UC Irvine, logging 30 games as a freshman, then took his game to another level at Utah Valley before finally finding his home at Clemson.
There’s still work to do on the road to recovery, but Brownell’s update gives Tiger fans every reason to believe Welling could be back in the lineup before this season’s story is finished.
Add us as a preferred source on Google