Clemson Athletics Releases Update Regarding Carter Welling's Knee Injury

Ahead of their matchup with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Clemson Athletics has announced that center Carter Welling has torn his ACL, missing the remainder of the season.

Clemson center Carter Welling has torn his ACL, per Clemson Athletics.
— Griffin Barfield (@BarfieldGriffin) March 13, 2026

It’s a detrimental blow for the Clemson Tigers, who will be without their starting center for the NCAA Tournament and perhaps more going into the 2026-27 season. Welling would have one year of eligibility remaining next season.

Surgery will most likely happen, meaning that the Draper, Utah, native will miss between six to 12 months to prepare for his senior season. It could mean that he will not be ready for next season right away. Clemson Athletics has not provided a timetable for his return.

Welling suffered the injury in Clemson’s second-round win over Wake Forest, going down at the end of the first half on a drive and immediately grabbing his right knee. He was helped off the court by two assistants and would not return for the remainder of the game.

By the end of the game, the Utah Valley transfer was sitting on the end of the bench, watching his team win a 71-62 contest to move into the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament against North Carolina.

Head coach Brad Brownell didn’t know much following the game, but after MRIs since Wednesday night’s game, Welling will be sidelined for a large chunk of time.

He said that he was “unlikely” to play immediately after the win to open the Tigers’ postseason.

“Obviously disappointing because I thought we were playing really well tonight and would love to be at full strength,” he said. “But that's part of it. So, regardless, we'll figure out a way to combat that.”

Welling provided averages of 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks, leading the team in rebounds and blocks during the 2025-26 campaign. A key starter down the stretch of this season, starting in 24 of the Tigers’ 32 games, his presence down low will need to be filled quickly, with the NCAA Tournament arriving next week.

Brownell will need his bench to step up if Clemson wants to make a deep run in March. Freshman Chase Thompson is expected to see an elevated role, while redshirt senior Nick Davidson will need to bring more minutes to the frontcourt as well, going forward.

Clemson is also without true freshman Trent Steinour, with a shoulder injury, being a reserve that could’ve played more during this postseason in Welling’s place.

The Tigers will consider the injury, with a summer ahead of recovery before the season begins. Whether the transfer portal or other young players begin to play a role in how Brownell constructs his frontcourt, it’s unfortunate that he will have his defensive anchor on the bench for quite some time.