Ukrainian Center Kate Koval Departs LSU Following Russian Recruit Signing
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Coach Kim Mulkey's hope for the players to serve as 'ambassadors' for peace ends as Koval leaves the program for personal reasons.
Ukrainian center Kate Koval is leaving the LSU women's basketball program, as first reported by The Guardian. The departure comes less than two weeks after LSU signed Anna Minaeva, a 17-year-old recruit from Russia who previously played for MBA Moscow.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey stated Monday night that Koval is leaving for “personal reasons” and noted that the program will respect her privacy. Mulkey described the move as a “hard decision” for Koval, who is a Kyiv native whose father is in the Ukrainian military.
According to The Guardian, Mulkey previously told the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate that she spoke with Koval before Minaeva's signing. Mulkey reportedly told Koval that while she did not expect her to change her feelings regarding Russia, she could not decline to recruit a player who could help the program due to a conflict between two nations. Mulkey had expressed hope that the two athletes could serve as “ambassadors” for peace and sport.
Koval transferred to LSU from Notre Dame and averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season. Over the summer, she competed for Ukraine in the Fiba 3x3 World Cup.