OREM—Utah Valley head coach Todd Phillips has announced that brothers Carter and Hayden Welling have transferred to Utah Valley and will play for the Wolverines this next season. The brothers are transferring from UC Irvine, where they played together during the 2023-24 season.
 
"We are incredibly excited to welcome Carter and Hayden to our team," said Phillips. "Their experience and brotherly synergy will be an invaluable asset to our team. "Carter brings a strong offensive presence, and Hayden's leadership and versatility make them a formidable duo on the court. Their shared history of success promises to energize our entire program. We're thrilled to welcome the brothers back home to Utah."
 
Carter, a 225-pound, 6-foot-10 forward, played his freshman season at UC Irvine last season, averaging 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 31 games. He recorded a 50.7% clip from the field and a 75.5% mark from the free throw line. Carter recorded a career-best 14 points in four games. 
 
Carter played at Corner Canyon High School, helping the team to a 6A State title in 2019. He earned First Team All-State honors in 2021 and was selected to the Utah State All-Tournament team. Carter averaged 16.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game for CCHS during his senior season. He holds the single game school record in blocks with six.  
 
Hayden, a 210-pound, 6-foot-9 forward, played the past two seasons at UC Irvine where he played in 52 games, averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. He played in 32 games this past season for the Anteaters, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. Hayden connected of 49% from the field last season. Hayden will enter the 2024-25 season as a junior and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
 
Hayden also prepped at Corner Canyon High School where he led the Chargers to a 6A State Championship in 2019. He earned State Tournament MVP honors. He earned multiple All-State honors, including a First Team selection in 2019. He was a two-time All-Region honoree. Hayden averaged 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.5 steals per game during his senior season. He recorded 890 career points and tallied 353 career rebounds.
 
The Welling brothers are natives of Draper, Utah and will join the Wolverines for the 2024-25 season.