Baylor has added 6-foot-5 center Kate Koval after the NCAA approved her transfer beyond the regular portal window. The school announced the move Saturday, but a team spokesperson said her immediate eligibility had not been determined because classes started in late August.
Koval, who is from Kyiv, Ukraine, departed LSU after the school added Anna Minaeva, a Russian player with professional experience in Moscow. Koval had announced her departure after the portal closed and publicly sought NCAA permission to transfer. Her appeal said Russian attacks had killed or injured people close to her and destroyed locations tied to her childhood and early basketball development.
She also said her father is serving in the Ukrainian military.
NCAA rules permit an out-of-window transfer when an urgent circumstance outside an athlete’s control requires an immediate departure and is unrelated to athletic opportunities or participation at the current school. Koval joins a Baylor team that went 25-9 last season, retained most of its portal-eligible players and graduated four starters.
She is expected to play with Taliah Scott, who led the team with 20 points per game, and Marcayla Johnson, who had a strong freshman season. Coach Nicki Collen said Koval’s perimeter scoring, passing and defense could help Baylor. The report was published by nytimes.com.
