Clemson Basketball Hosting ACC Sharpshooter This Weekend

Head coach Brad Brownell found interest in a wing who has already proved himself to score at a high rate in the ACC.

Feb 24, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Cole Certa (5) shoots as Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) defends during the first half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

While the transfer portal period heats up, the Clemson Tigers had one of their first visitors on campus on Friday, and it’s a key need for head coach Brad Brownell. 

According to TigerIllustrated’s Paul Strelow, Notre Dame guard Cole Certa was on campus on Friday, being a key sharpshooter for the Fighting Irish over the last two seasons. He would have two years of eligibility remaining, and the Tigers are looking to take advantage of that. 

NEW: Notre Dame guard Cole Certa plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag, @JoeTipton reports.

Certa averaged 12.8 points per game this past season.https://t.co/V0zqdDThTd pic.twitter.com/rhYfhilwHZ

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) April 6, 2026

Certa averaged 12.8 points for Notre Dame this past season, a 10-point increase compared to his freshman year production. Most notably, he shot the three at a 36.7% clip, averaging over seven attempts per game for the Irish. Clemson hasn’t had a player like that with the tendency to shoot the three so much since Joseph Girard III, a key piece in its Elite Eight run three seasons ago. 

The Le Roy, Illinois, native also shoots a free-throw percentage of 89.2%, always an important need in late-game scenarios. 

In a lot of Notre Dame’s ACC wins, which it only won four, Certa played a massive role in them. The Irish’s two wins in February came against Georgia Tech and NC State, and Certa scored at least 30 points in both games. 

The sophomore hit seven threes to finish with 37 points against the Yellow Jackets, then hung 32 points to win an overtime matchup with the Wolfpack, hitting six threes in that win. Eventually, those performances helped him finish fourth in the ACC’s Most Improved Player standings, which was eventually given to Wake Forest’s Juke Harris. 

He didn’t have the strongest showing against Clemson back on Jan. 10, only scoring eight points while shooting 2-of-5 from the field. Both of those field goals came from three-point range, however. 

Certa entered the portal with a “do not contact” tag on April 6, sometimes meaning that he already has a place in mind where he wants to end up. On3’s Jamie Shaw reported that Louisville, Marquette and DePaul have also shown interest in the Notre Dame guard. 

The addition would be huge for Clemson, which didn’t have a shooter who shot the volume that Certa shoots from deep at a consistent rate. While names like Dallas Thomas could fill that role moving forward, Brownell having two of those, one of which has already proved himself in the ACC, could add another element to how the Tigers score on offense next season. 

Not to mention, a transfer with multiple years of eligibility is always a plus. 

Clemson Tigers on SI will remain updated with Certa’s situation, and the other commitments can be seen on our transfer portal tracker.