LSU women's basketball player Kate Koval, a junior from Ukraine, has left the program following the recruitment of Russian center Anna Minaeva. Head coach Kim Mulkey informed Koval of the pursuit of the 17-year-old Russian player in a private conversation.
According to reports, Mulkey suggested that Koval and Minaeva could serve as "ambassadors" for kinship amid international conflict and "even help end the war." Koval, whose father is reportedly serving in the Ukrainian military, responded by stating she doubted that outcome. She left the team three days after Minaeva's signing was announced.
"Kate came to see me on Sunday and told me that after much consideration, she will be leaving the program for personal reasons," Mulkey said in a statement released Monday. "We will respect her privacy on her decision, but we had a long talk about it, and it was a hard decision for her. I know it is hard because she loves LSU."
Mulkey added, "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."
Mulkey told The Advocate that prior to Minaeva's signing, she spoke with Koval about the business of college basketball recruitment. "I want you to understand I'm not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia. 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," Mulkey recalled telling Koval. "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."
Minaeva, a freshman from Moscow, was recruited by LSU assistant coach Fitzroy Anthony. The LSU coaching staff believes she has the potential to be a WNBA draft pick. Koval, who averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds last season, would have been one of two players from the warring nations on the same team. Mulkey stated that she wanted Koval and Minaeva "to pass the ball to each other" and that she loved Koval and her family, wanting them to feel her compassion while acknowledging that Koval's feelings about the situation were personal and were not expected to change.