Ukrainian Player Leaves LSU Women's Basketball Team After Kim Mulkey's Squad Signs Russian Recruit
Koval departs after starting 17 games last season, and LSU says it will respect her privacy as she weighs her next move.
- On Monday, LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey announced that center Kate Koval is leaving the program for "personal reasons," with the 6-foot-5 player ending her tenure after starting 17 games last season.
- Koval, a Ukrainian native whose father serves as a drone operator in Russia's four-year invasion of Ukraine, departs shortly after LSU signed 17-year-old Russian freshman Anna Minaeva.
- Before recruiting Minaeva, Mulkey told Koval, "I'm just here out of respect for your family and out of respect for you to let you know," while reportedly hoping the two players could be "ambassadors" for peace.
- Mulkey and associate head coach Bob Starkey had "a long talk" with Koval about her decision, with the program committing to "respect her privacy" as the player previously expressed daily worry for her father's safety.
- With two seasons of eligibility remaining, Koval must wait until April to enter the transfer portal, which is currently closed; she previously played for Notre Dame before transferring to LSU last season.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Ukrainian basketball player Kate Koval left the Louisiana State University (LSU) team after Russian Anna Minayeva joined the team.
Martina Navratilova blasts LSU coach as Ukrainian star leaves women's basketball team days after signing Russian player
Martina Navratilova took a dig at LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey after the Tigers' forward Kate Koval left the program following the signing of Russian player Anna Minaeva.
Hastings Tribune
Los Angeles TimesUkranian player leaves LSU women's basketball team weeks after signing of Russian center
Ukranian center Kate Koval will not return to Louisiana State's basketball team next season, coach Kim Mulkey said in a statement released by the Tigers on Monday.
LSU women's hoops team loses Ukranian star Kate Koval after Tigers sign Russian player
The LSU women's hoops program is losing one of its star players.Tigers center Kate Koval has announced she is stepping away from the team, but her exit has nothing to do with playing time or NIL disputes.Her announcement comes less than two weeks after LSU signed another center, 17-year-old Anna Minaeva from Russia.UKRAINE UNLEASHES MORE THAN 400 DRONES NEAR MOSCOW IN ONE OF WAR'S BIGGEST ATTACKSIf you're still wondering why Koval decided to wal…
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