Former LSU center Kate Koval has been granted a waiver by the NCAA to enter the transfer portal. The junior will be immediately eligible to compete for her next school, according to several reports.
The 6-foot-5 Ukrainian native decided to leave the LSU program two weeks ago for what was announced as "personal reasons." Speculation followed that Koval's decision was spurred by LSU coach Kim Mulkey adding Russian center Anna Minaeva to the roster.
Koval confirmed that was her reason for leaving LSU in a social media post.
"At the conclusion of last season, I fully intended to return and continue my collegiate career at LSU," Koval wrote. "However, in April, several days after the transfer portal had closed, I was informed of the decision to sign a Russian player."
"My father serves in the Ukrainian military and takes tremendous pride in defending his country against Russian aggression," she continued. "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."

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