Ukrainian Kate Koval commits to Baylor after receiving NCAA transfer waiver due to LSU signing Russian player

Former LSU center Kate Koval has committed to Baylor, the program announced on Saturday. This comes shortly after the NCAA granted her a transfer waiver, even though she announced her decision to leave LSU well after the window to enter the transfer portal closed in April. The Ukrainian decided to leave the Tigers after they signed a Russian player. 

"We are beyond excited to welcome Kate to Baylor," said Baylor coach Nicki Collen in the official press release. "She has played at an elite level over the last two seasons and has shown the consistent ability to score around the rim and protect the rim. Kate, at 6-5, can be a decision maker on the perimeter both as a scorer and facilitator, which will expand our offense. Her shot-blocking ability will help anchor our defense. She is an elite student with a big heart for others, and our fans will love her on and off the court."

The Bears are coming of a 25-9 season but lost four starters to graduation. The only starter returning is senior guard Taliah Scott, who led the team in scoring last season with 19.7 points per game.

While Koval originally planned on staying with LSU, she decided to officially leave the team last month. At first it was announced that it was for "personal reasons, but on Sept. 2 she confirmed the reason was because LSU had signed a 17-year-old Russian post player Anna Minaeva. This created a difficult situation for Koval, who was born and raised in Ukraine -- a country currently at war with Russia. Koval and her family are extremely close to the situation since her father works as a drone operator for the Ukrainian military.

Kate Koval breaks silence on LSU departure, confirms she left team because Kim Mulkey signed Russian player

Lindsay Gibbs

"My father serves in the Ukrainian military and takes tremendous pride in defending his country against Russian aggression," Koval explained on a social media post. "For me, this war is not distant or abstract. People close to me have been killed and wounded in Russian attacks, and places where I grew up and first began playing basketball have been destroyed by missile strikes."

Koval has been playing basketball in the United States since 2021, when she left Ukraine to play at Long Island Lutheran High School in New York.

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey, who coached at Baylor from 2000-2021, had a conversation with Koval when her staff was going to start recruiting Minaeva. She even suggested that they could be "ambassadors" for the two countries, but Koval was not comfortable with the situation and ultimately decided to leave.

"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 said on Instagram. "I felt I had found a home at LSU, and I am incredibly grateful for my teammates who became family, as well as my coaches, staff, professors, and the entire LSU community. I will always cherish the relationships, experiences, and memories I made there."

Koval spent her freshman season at Notre Dame and made the ACC All-Freshman Team before transferring to LSU for the 2025-26 season. As a sophomore with the Tigers, she appeared in 35 games, 17 as a starter, and averaged 8.3 points on 56% shooting, 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per contest. She was expected to be the starting center for Mulkey this season. Earlier this summer, Koval represented Ukraine in the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Women's World Cup and helped the native country advance to the quarterfinals.