Ukrainian Koval quits LSU over Russian signing — SkimNews
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- Kate Koval, a 20-year-old Ukrainian center, left LSU after one season following the team's signing of Russian player Anna Minaeva, with LSU citing "personal reasons" for her departure
- Koval said Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine drove her decision, revealing her father serves in the Ukrainian military and that people close to her have been killed and wounded in Russian attacks, with places where she grew up destroyed by missile strikes
- Koval was expected to be LSU's starting centre this year and retains two years of collegiate eligibility
- With the transfer portal already closed, Koval is asking the NCAA to recognize the "seriousness and deep nature" of her situation and grant an exception allowing her to join a different university for the upcoming season
- Koval announced her departure on Instagram, saying she had "found a home at LSU" and was grateful to teammates and coaches, but that remaining true to her values and country ultimately required her to leave
- Anna Minaeva, the Russian recruit whose signing triggered the dispute, is the incoming LSU player at the center of Koval's decision
Why it matters: LSU loses its projected starting centre for the season and must rework its roster with the transfer portal closed. The NCAA now faces a precedent-setting call on whether to waive portal restrictions for an athlete whose personal circumstances — a father fighting on one side of an active war — clash with their program's roster moves.
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