Kate Koval signs with Baylor after receiving NCAA waiver to transfer from LSU

Kate Koval has signed with Baylor days after being granted a waiver by the NCAA to enter the transfer portal. The Ukrainian native left LSU in August after Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey signed Russian center Anna Minaeva. Koval cited the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war as the reason for her exit from LSU.

"We are beyond excited to welcome Kate to Baylor," said Baylor head coach Nicki Collen . "She has played at an elite level over the last two seasons and has shown the consistent ability to score around the rim and protect the rim. Kate, at 6-5, can be a decision maker on the perimeter both as a scorer and facilitator, which will expand our offense. Her shot-blocking ability will help anchor our defense. She is an elite student with a big heart for others, and our fans will love her on and off the court."

Koval was allowed to enter the transfer portal and compete immediately under a " legislative relief waiver ." Such a waiver is granted beyond a sport-specific transfer window due to an "exigent event outside the student-athlete's control unrelated to athletics opportunities or participation at their current institution that demands the student-athlete's immediate departure from the institution."

In a social media post earlier this month, Koval wrote that she intended to return to LSU for the 2026-27 season until she learned that Minaeva had been recruited to the team by Mulkey.

"For me, this war is not distant or abstract," wrote Koval, whose father serves in the Ukrainian military and has been part of the war since Russia invaded the country in 2022. "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."

Koval said she was told by Mulkey, who coached Baylor from 2000 to 2021, of the signing "several days" after the closing of the transfer portal window on April 20. That made the center "question whether LSU remained the right place for me."

Koval began her collegiate career at Notre Dame before transferring to LSU last season. She averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds and started 17 games for the Tigers, while shooting 56% from the field and helping the team reach the Sweet 16.

The Bears went 25-9 last season and finished third in the Big 12. They exited the NCAA tournament in the second round for the fourth time in five seasons.