Kate Koval Leaves LSU After Russian Player Signing

Ukrainian center Kate Koval says she left LSU's women's basketball program because the Tigers signed Russian post player Anna Minaeva. BBC Sport and the Associated Press reported Koval's explanation on Thursday, more than a week after coach Kim Mulkey announced that the player was departing for personal reasons.

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Koval explained in an Instagram statement that Russia's war against Ukraine is immediate and personal for her. Her father, Oleksandr, serves in the Ukrainian military, and she said people close to her have been killed or wounded while places connected to her childhood and early basketball career have been damaged in missile attacks.

The 6-foot-5 center said she had fully planned to return to LSU after last season. According to her account, she learned only after the transfer portal had closed that the program was recruiting a Russian player. Koval said the timing and the situation's effect on her family led her to question whether LSU remained the right place for her.

Koval also made clear that she understands roster decisions are part of college basketball. She has asked the NCAA to recognize the circumstances and allow her to compete at another school during the 2026-27 season. No decision on that request was reported, leaving her immediate playing status unresolved.

Mulkey initially said Koval had approached her after careful consideration and would leave for personal reasons, adding that LSU would respect her privacy. The program recently added Minaeva, another 6-foot-5 post player who previously played professionally for MBA Moscow. The reports did not attribute any public response from Minaeva to Koval's departure.

Koval played 35 games for LSU last season, starting 17. She averaged 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16.6 minutes per game. Before transferring to LSU, she played at Notre Dame in 2024-25, when she averaged 5.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks across 32 appearances. Her next move now depends in part on whether the NCAA permits a transfer outside the closed portal window.