LSU women's basketball loses Kate Koval, a Ukrainian, days after Tigers sign Russian center

Kim Mulkey lost a key piece to her frontcourt suddenly on Monday.

LSU women's basketball announced that center Kate Koval opted to leave the program due to personal reasons.

"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. I know it is hard because she loves LSU. Kate is a great person. She has to do what she feels is right for her, and we fully support her in that. We wish her all the best."

A Statement From Head Coach Kim Mulkey: pic.twitter.com/vIkici06aH — LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) August 24, 2026

A Statement From Head Coach Kim Mulkey: pic.twitter.com/vIkici06aH

Koval transferred to LSU last season after starting her career at Notre Dame. She started 17 games and averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field. She helped LSU reach the Sweet 16. It's unclear where Koval will end up playing next, though she can not join a new program for the 2026-27 campaign.

While specifics of her departure aren't known, there is speculation that it has to do with LSU's signing of 17-year-old Anna Minaeva.

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The Tigers landed Minaeva, also a center, earlier this month out of Russia. Koval is from Kyiv, Ukraine, so the two would have been what was believed to be the first Russian-Ukrainian teammates to share a locker room in women's college basketball since Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2022. Minaeva previously played professionally with MBA Moscow.

Koval's father, Oleksander, is also part of the Ukrainian military and has fought in the conflict.

Mulkey told The Advocate that she talked to Koval before recruiting Minaeva.

"I want you to understand I'm not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia," Mulkey said, recalling her conversation with 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."

"I want you to understand I'm not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia," Mulkey said, recalling her conversation with 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."

Mukley is set to enter her sixth season leading the Tigers this fall. They will open the season against Southeast Louisiana on Nov. 2.