Louisiana State University’s women’s head coach announced Kate Koval’s departure less than two weeks after the team signed center Anna Minaeva.
Head coach Kim Mulkey revealed Koval’s exit on Monday, stating the Ukrainian player decided to leave “for personal reasons.” “We will respect her privacy on her decision, but we had a long talk about it, and it was a hard decision for her,” Mulkey said.
The announcement follows Mulkey’s recent private conversation with Koval regarding whether she could play alongside Minaeva and “pass the ball to each other.” Mulkey previously expressed hope that the Ukrainian and Russian players might become “ambassadors” for friendship and even help end their countries’ conflict. Koval reportedly responded: “I doubt that.”
Mulkey emphasized that geopolitical tensions would not affect LSU’s recruitment decisions, asserting, “I cannot make a decision to not recruit somebody that can help our program because of a conflict between two countries.”
LSU officially signed Minaeva on August 14, describing the 17-year-old Russian center as an “all-around addition that can impact the 2026-27 squad immediately.” Mulkey called Koval’s decision to leave home at age 17 and travel internationally “tremendous courage,” adding she was “excited to support and guide Anna” as she began her college journey.
Ukrainian athletes have consistently avoided interactions with Russian competitors since the escalation of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia in 2022. Recent examples include Ukrainian rhythmic gymnasts covering their eyes and ears during the playing of Russian and Belarusian anthems at a European Championships event in Bulgaria earlier this year.
