Kate Koval is stepping away from LSU women’s basketball for personal reasons, head coach Kim Mulkey said Monday.
The announcement came 10 days after the Tigers signed 17-year-old Russian center Anna Minaeva.
Koval, also a center, was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and her father is in the Ukranian military during the country’s ongoing war with Russia.
“Kate came to see me on Sunday and told me that after much consideration, she will be leaving the program for personal reasons,” Mulkey said in a statement. “We will respect her privacy on her decision, but we had a long talk about it, and it was a hard decision for her.”
The statement did not specify what her personal reasons are or whether the 6-foot-5 post player will try to find another team for her junior season.
Before signing Minaeva, Mulkey sat down with Koval to discuss the sensitive and political nature of her newest recruit.
The coach recalled the conversation she had outside Koval’s apartment to The Advocate.
“I want you to understand I’m not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia,” Mulkey told Koval, according to the outlet. “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 The Advocate, no Russian and Ukrainian players have been teammates since the war broke out in 2022.
Mulkey outlined her vision of Koval and Minaeva being “ambassadors” who could potentially help end the conflict by sharing the floor peacefully. Now, they never will.
Koval averaged 8.3 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game last season while splitting playing time with Tigers senior Amiya Joyner.
Koval’s father, Oleksandr, made it to the U.S. to watch one of her games last year, something she was grateful for as she didn’t have to “worry for his life” like she does “every single day” when he’s at home working as a drone operator.
Initially expected to step into a larger role next season, things would have been more complicated after Minaeva’s signing.
Joyner could also return to LSU after she was part of a group of college athletes awarded an extra season of eligibility, along with several NFL players.
Minaeva spent last season as a pro in Russia and averaged 11.2 points with 9.6 rebounds with MBA Moscow.
She doesn’t turn 18 until January, but Tigers assistant coach Fitzroy Anthony said she already has WNBA draft potential.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Anna to our LSU family,” Mulkey said in LSU’s statement announcing the signing. “She has the experience, skill set, and size to make an immediate impact in our frontcourt. It takes tremendous courage to leave home at just 17 years old and travel across the world to pursue a dream. I’m excited to support and guide Anna as she begins this next chapter at LSU.”
