Kate Koval Commits to Baylor After LSU Signed Russian Recruit — SkimNews
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- Kate Koval committed to Baylor on Saturday after the NCAA granted her a transfer waiver, even though she announced her departure from LSU well after the April transfer portal window closed.
- Koval left LSU after the program signed 17-year-old Russian post player Anna Minaeva; Koval was born and raised in Ukraine, where her father works as a drone operator for the Ukrainian military.
- Koval wrote on social media that her father "takes tremendous pride in defending his country against Russian aggression" and that places where she first played basketball "have been destroyed by missile strikes."
- LSU head coach Kim Mulkey suggested to Koval that she and Minaeva could serve as "ambassadors" for their two countries, but Koval said she had to remain "true to myself, my values and my country."
- Koval spent her freshman year at Notre Dame (ACC All-Freshman Team) before transferring to LSU, where as a sophomore she averaged 8.3 points on 56% shooting, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks across 35 games.
- Baylor is coming off a 25-9 season but lost four starters to graduation; only senior guard Taliah Scott (19.7 ppg) returns as a starter, making Koval's 6-5 frame and rim-protecting profile a direct fit.
- Koval represented Ukraine in the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Women's World Cup this summer, helping the national team reach the quarterfinals.
Why it matters: Koval's transfer gives Baylor an elite 6-5 center and rim protector after losing four starters to graduation, with only Taliah Scott (19.7 ppg) returning as a starter. The episode cost LSU a likely starting center and exposed the limits of framing an active war as a sports-diplomacy opportunity.
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