Ukrainian Kate Koval leaves LSU over addition of Russian recruit

Ukrainian Kate Koval expounded upon her decision to leave LSU several days after stepping away from the team over the addition of a Russian recruit.

Koval faces uncertain eligibility given her departure came after the transfer portal closed, but said she opted to leave Baton Rouge after head coach Kim Mulkey informed her the Tigers were signing Anna Minaeva, a 6-foot-5 center from Russia.

She said in a social media post Wednesday that she's hopeful the NCAA will recognize the circumstances "and understands the deep nature of this matter" to grant her eligibility request for 2026-27. Without it, she'll be forced to wait until the upcoming season ends to join a new program.

Koval left Ukraine in 2021 and played basketball in New York. Her father, Oleksandr, is a drone operator in the Ukrainian military defending itself from Russian invasion.

Mulkey said she told Koval "I cannot make a decision to not recruit somebody that can help our program because of a conflict between two countries."

A transfer from Notre Dame, Koval averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds while playing in 35 games for LSU last season. She was expected to play an even bigger role before Minaeva signed. Instead, she decided to find a new home.

"My father serves in the Ukrainian military and takes tremendous pride in defending his country against Russian aggression. For me, this war is not distant or abstract," Koval wrote Wednesday on Instagram. "People close to me have been killed and wounded in Russian attacks, and places where I grew up and first began playing basketball have been destroyed by missile strikes.

"The timing of this situation and the deeply personal effect it has had on me, my family, and those we care about who continue to live through and fight this war ultimately made me question whether LSU remained the right place for me. This decision has not been easy. While I understand and respect that roster decisions are a part of college basketball. I have to remain true to myself, my values, and my country."

Koval said the gym where she first played basketball was destroyed by Russian missiles during the first week of the conflict in 2022.

--Field Level Media