Ukrainian basketball player Kate Koval has moved to a new college team after leaving Louisiana State University (LSU). She left the school following the recruitment of a Russian player, which led to her requesting a transfer waiver from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The waiver allowed Koval to transfer to another school even after the usual transfer window had closed in April. She has since signed with Baylor University in Texas. Koval, 20, was a key player for LSU last season, appearing in all 35 of the team's games and averaging 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. However, after the arrival of 17-year-old Russian player Anna Minaeva, LSU announced that Koval had left for "personal reasons" after her first season. Koval later explained on social media that her decision was influenced by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. She shared that her father is a member of the Ukrainian military and has been actively involved in defending the country against Russian forces. In a post on Instagram, Koval described the emotional impact of the war on her and her family. She mentioned that people close to her have been killed or injured in Russian attacks, and areas where she grew up and started playing basketball have been destroyed by missile strikes. She said the situation made her question whether LSU was still the right place for her. According to NCAA rules, transfer waivers outside the usual window are only granted for exceptional circumstances beyond the athlete's control, such as personal events unrelated to sports. These events must occur after the athlete's last chance to apply for a transfer had passed. The BBC Sport has reached out to LSU to clarify the specific reasons behind the waiver request.