Ukrainian basketball star shines in Baylor debut with 14 points and 4 blocks
Kateryna Koval in action for her new team (photo: instagram.com/baylorwbb)
Ukrainian center Kateryna Koval got off to a strong start with her new team, the Baylor Bears, in the NCAA women's college basketball season.
Impressive debut for Baylor
In her debut game, Koval helped the team secure a convincing 87-66 victory over the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights.
The Ukrainian center played 21 minutes and was one of the standout performers on the court. She recorded 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks. Koval shot 6-of-7 from the two-point range and made 2 of 3 free throws.
Transfer and NCAA career
This was Koval's first official appearance since the controversy in September. She previously played for the University of Louisiana but made a principled decision to leave the team after the university's management signed Russian player Anna Minaeva. With special permission from the NCAA, Koval was able to transfer to another team outside the regular transfer window and avoid missing the season.
This is Koval's third year in the US. She initially played for Notre Dame before spending a year with the Louisiana team.
The center has also represented Ukraine at every level of its youth and junior national teams. In June 2025, she made her debut for Ukraine's senior 3x3 national team at the Women's Series event in Vienna.
