Baylor signed Ukrainian center Kate Koval on Saturday, weeks after she left LSU over coach Kim Mulkey's recruitment of a Russian player. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and Koval cited the war's personal toll — including family killed and childhood courts destroyed — as reason for her departure. She received an NCAA legislative relief waiver to transfer outside the normal window. "For me, this war is not distant or abstract," Koval wrote on social media. "I have to remain true to myself, my values, and my country."

Bears coach Nicki Collen praised Koval's elite rim protection and scoring, calling her "an elite student with a big heart." The 6-foot-5 center averaged 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks last season for LSU after transferring from Notre Dame, where she posted 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 2024-25. Koval now joins the program Mulkey built into a powerhouse before leaving for LSU.