Koval of Ukraine leaves LSU after Tigers sign Russian player - ESPN

BATON ROUGE, La. — Ukrainian center Kate Koval is leaving LSU less than two weeks after the Tigers brought in a player from Russia.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey said Monday night that the 6-foot-5 Koval was leaving for «personal reasons,» adding that the program will «respect her privacy on her decision.»

«We had a long talk about it, and it was a hard decision for her,» Mulkey said. «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 all wish her the best.»

Koval, who was born in Kyiv, played at LSU last season after spending her freshman year at Notre Dame. Her decision to leave LSU follows the recent signing of Anna Minaeva, a 6-5 post player who previously played professionally with MBA Moscow.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and the two countries have been at war since.

Mulkey told The New Orleans Advocate in a story published last week that she talked to Koval before starting to pursue Minaeva and had hoped the two could be «ambassadors» for their countries.

«I want you to understand I'm not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia,» Mulkey recalled saying to 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.»

But Mulkey also said that the conflict wouldn't stop her from making the best decision for LSU.

«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,» she said.

Koval, a junior next season, averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds for LSU last season and started in 17 games.

The Associated Press contributed