Ukrainian player Koval confirms she left LSU after Russian player joined program

Kate Koval has confirmed that she left Louisiana State University's women's basketball program after the school signed Russian player Anna Minaeva. LSU coach Kim Mulkey had said on Aug. 24 that Koval departed for personal reasons.

Koval, a 20-year-old forward from Kyiv, said she had planned to return to LSU after last season. She wrote on Instagram that she learned in April, several days after the transfer portal closed, that the program had decided to sign a Russian player. Minaeva, 17, joined LSU on Aug. 14 after playing for MBA Moscow, a professional women's basketball club.

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However, in April, several days after the transfer portal had closed, I was informed of the decision to sign a Russian player.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has made the decision deeply personal for Koval. Her father serves in the Ukrainian military, and she said people close to her had been killed or wounded in Russian attacks. She also said places where she grew up and first played basketball had been destroyed by missile strikes.

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For me, this war is not distant or abstract. 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.

“For me, this war is not distant or abstract,” Koval wrote. She said the timing of the signing and its effect on her family led her to question whether LSU remained the right place for her. She added that she understood roster decisions were part of college basketball but needed to remain true to herself, her values and her country.

Koval played all 35 games in her sophomore season, averaging 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds, with 43 blocks. She said she valued her relationships and experiences at LSU and hoped the NCAA would recognize the circumstances of her departure, allowing her to compete elsewhere in the upcoming season.

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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.