More than a week ago, Kate Koval left the college basketball world stunned after she announced her departure from Kim Mulkey’s LSU program. On Wednesday, Koval finally elaborated on why she decided to step away from the Tigers at a time when they were looking positively toward the upcoming season after their Sweet 16 loss to Duke, and it wasn’t about the basketball.

In a statement posted on Instagram by Koval on Wednesday, which former NCAA champion with the UConn Huskies Katie Lou liked, the 20-year-old revealed that she fully intended to return and “continue my collegiate career at LSU” at the conclusion of last season. However, her decision to step away came after she was informed that head coach Kim Mulkey was signing 17-year-old Russian pro Anna Minaeva.

“After much reflection, I have made the difficult decision to step away from the LSU Women’s Basketball program and withdraw from LSU… However, in April, several days after the transfer portal had closed, I was informed of the decision to sign a Russian player.”

Koval is Ukrainian, and her father, Oleksandr, serves as a drone operator in the Ukrainian military. She explained that the war has directly affected her family, people close to her, and places connected to her childhood. Seattle Storm player Katie Lou Samuelson appeared to acknowledge her statement by liking the Instagram post.

“My father serves in the Ukrainian military and takes tremendous pride in defending his country against Russian aggression. For me, this war is not distant or abstract.”

“The timing of this situation and the deeply personal effect it has had on me, my family, and those we care about who continue to live through and fight this war ultimately made me question whether LSU remained the right place for me. This decision has not been easy. While I understand and respect that roster decisions are a part of college basketball, I have to remain true to myself, my values, and my country.”

Koval transferred from Notre Dame to LSU to play her sophomore year under Kim Mulkey. Last season, she averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in 16.6 minutes as the Tigers’ season came to an end in the Sweet 16.

What’s next for Koval remains unclear for now, as the transfer portal was closed in April and most college campuses have already started classes for the fall semester.

“I hope the NCAA recognizes the circumstances surrounding my situation and understands the seriousness and deep nature of this matter. More than anything, I hope I am given the opportunity to compete at another school during the upcoming 2026-27 basketball season,” she further added in her statement.

The signing that prompted Koval’s departure came on Friday, August 14, when Mulkey announced she was very excited about the Tigers signing the 6’5 Russian forward despite her being so young.

“She has the experience, skill set, and size to make an immediate impact in our frontcourt. It takes tremendous courage to leave home at just 17 years old and travel across the world to pursue a dream. I’m excited to support and guide Anna as she begins this next chapter at LSU.” Mulkey said in her official statement.

Besides her size, Minaeva, who studied an MBA in Moscow, put up a respectable number last season, averaging 11.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in 29 games at the club level in her home country.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t easy for Mulkey to see her Koval leave the program.

Kim Mulkey gave her take on the Kate Koval situation

The LSU Tigers coach initially didn’t elaborate on the details of why Koval chose to leave, although she said in a statement that the pair had a long talk about the Ukrainian player’s decision.

“Kate came to see me on Sunday and told me that after much consideration, she will be leaving the program 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.

“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.”

Following this staement, The Athletic reached out to Louisiana State University for further comment on Wednesday, but they declined. Mulkey later opened up about her conversation with Koval and why she stuck to signing Minaeva in an interview with the The New Orleans Advocate.

During the interview, the Tigers coach explained that she and Koval had both stated their reasons for their actions. Mulkey revealed that while she respected Koval and her family, for her it ultimately came down to the benefit of the program.

“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.”

“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.”

It’s safe to say that in the end both parties chose to respect their reasons, and Koval parted ways with the program.

As for Kim Mulkey, she is now left without a player who was well on her path to earning a starting role in the 2026-27 season. Koval also added that she felt like she had “found a home at LSU” and remains “grateful” to her teammates, coaches, and the community there. Only time will tell where Koval finds a new home and how Mulkey’s lineup shapes up without the Ukrainian next season.