LSU Announces Kate Koval Departure for Personal Reasons

LSU center Kate Koval is leaving the Tigers' women's basketball program after one season, coach Kim Mulkey announced Monday night. The Guardian reported that Mulkey described the reason for the departure as personal and said LSU would respect the Ukrainian player's privacy.

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Koval, who was born in Kyiv, began her college career at Notre Dame before transferring to LSU ahead of last season. She averaged 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 16.6 minutes per game for the Tigers. Before college, she played high school basketball in New York and was regarded as one of the country's leading young players.

The center also represented Ukraine at the Fiba 3x3 World Cup this summer. Her father serves in the Ukrainian military, according to The Guardian. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and the countries remain at war.

Koval's exit comes less than two weeks after LSU added 17-year-old Russian player Anna Minaeva. Minaeva previously played professionally for MBA Moscow. Mulkey said last week that she had spoken with Koval before the signing was announced because she understood how personally Koval and her family viewed the conflict.

Mulkey said at the time that recruiting decisions had to be based on whether a player could help the program. She also expressed hope that Koval and Minaeva could serve as ambassadors for sport and peace. LSU has not stated that Minaeva's arrival caused Koval's decision, and Mulkey's announcement gave no reason beyond personal circumstances.

Mulkey said she and Koval had a long conversation and that the decision was difficult for the player because of her affection for LSU. The coach described Koval as a great person, said the program fully supported her choice and wished her well. No next destination for Koval was identified in the report.