Player Who Left LSU Over Russian Teammate Gets Transfer Waiver
Kate Koval is now in the transfer portal.
The NCAA has granted a waiver to Kate Koval, a former LSU women's basketball player from Ukraine, after she quit the program due to the signing of a Russian player. Koval, a senior, played one season at Notre Dame before coming to LSU, where she was expected to be the Tigers' starting center. She expressed her hope that the NCAA would recognize her circumstances and understand the seriousness of the situation on Instagram.
The NCAA has granted her the waiver, allowing her to enter the transfer portal. In August, LSU signed 17-year-old Anna Minaeva, a Russian player who has already played professionally in Russia. Koval informed LSU that she wanted to withdraw as a student on August 24. Despite the NCAA transfer portal being closed, Koval would need a special exception to compete elsewhere this year.
Koval's father served as a drone operator during the war that began in February 2022, and she expressed her growing concern about the conflict and its impact on her life, particularly after LSU signed Minaeva.
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