More than a week after departing from LSU, women’s basketball player Kate Koval explained why she left Kim Mulkey’s program.
The news of Koval stepping away from the Tigers came 10 days after Mulkey signed Anna Minaeva, a 6-foot-5 center from Russia. Koval is Ukrainian and her father, Oleksandr, is a drone operator for the Ukrainian military as it remains at war with Russia.
In a statement posted to her Instagram account on Wednesday, Sept. 2, Koval said she “fully intended to return” to LSU at the conclusion of last season, but things changed when she was told - after the transfer portal had closed - that Mulkey was recruiting a Russian player.
“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. “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 added that she felt she had "found a home at LSU" and remains "grateful" to her teammates, coaches and community there.
As the NCAA battles countless ongoing eligibility lawsuits, if and how Koval can play this season remains unclear. Barring being awarded a waiver from the NCAA or suing for immediate eligibility, Koval may have to wait until April to find a new team, as the transfer portal is currently closed and most college campuses have started classes for the fall semester.
“I hope the NCAA recognizes the circumstances surrounding my situation and understands the seriousness and deep nature of this matter," Koval wrote. "More than anything, I hope I am given the opportunity to compete at another school during the upcoming 2026-27 basketball season.”
Before Mulkey brought in Minaeva, it seemed like Koval was in line for a starting role with the Tigers this upcoming season. In an interview in August with nola.com, Mulkey said she discussed Minaeva potentially joining the team with Koval before her signing was official.
"I want you to understand I'm not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia," Mulkey recalled telling Koval. "I'm just here out of respect for your family and out of respect for you to let you know. Because I know how personal it is for you.
"Know that what I have to do in this business, I cannot make a decision to not recruit somebody that can help our program because of a conflict between two countries."
According to research by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, casualties for the conflict between Ukraine and Russia are estimated to have surpassed 2 million people. During the first week of the war in 2022, the gym where Koval learned how to play basketball was bombed.
Koval left Ukraine in 2021 to play basketball at a high school in Long Island, New York. There, she blossomed into a five-star recruit, ranked as the fifth-best overall prospect in the 2023 class by ESPN, a player that nearly every Power 4 school wanted. A 6-foot-5 post, she signed with Notre Dame and made the ACC’s All-Freshman team as a rookie in the 2024-25 season.
After Notre Dame was eliminated in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Koval was one of several Fighting Irish players to enter the transfer portal. She landed at LSU, where she started 17 of 35 games last season and was second on the team in rebounds (6.3) and blocks (1.2) per game. Koval also averaged 8.3 points per game on 56% shooting from the floor. She ranked 20th nationally in offensive rebounding rate (17.4%) and 14th in defensive rating (72.2).
This summer, Koval represented Ukraine on the international stage by playing for her native country in the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Women’s World Cup. Ukraine advanced to the quarterfinals while her former LSU teammates MiLaysia Fulwiley and Mikaylah Williams led Team USA to the championship.
Russia, meanwhile, has been banned from most FIBA competitions since it invaded Ukraine in 2022. Minaeva attracted interest from multiple SEC teams before signing with LSU and her recruiting was managed by an agent who sent film of her playing to college programs. Mulkey and her staff did not see Minaeva play in-person before signing her.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kate Koval says she left LSU, Kim Mulkey due to addition of Russian player
