LSU WBB: The Latest on Five-Star Target Kate Koval

Kim Mulkey and the Tigers continue their push for five-star forward Kate Koval with a commitment date now set in stone.

The No. 5 prospect in America will announce her college decision on Wednesday, October 4 at 9:30 a.m. EST. Koval will choose between LSU and Notre Dame after taking official visits to both programs in September.

The Tigers hosted Koval alongside the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 class, Sarah Strong, where both recruits took in the scenes of Death Valley.

Now, it’s decision time for Koval with her commitment date confirmed.

Here’s the latest on the blue-chip and her decision:

The LSU Push

Mulkey and Co. made their pitch this month when Koval made her way to Baton Rouge for an official visit. It gave her time to meet with the coaching staff, see her brother who goes to LSU and discuss the plan for her future.

It’s no secret Mulkey has a history of developing top talent, and with a history of getting the most out of her bigs, it could be a match made in heaven between her and Koval.

But it’s going to be a battle with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish entering the mix in a big way over the last few weeks. There’s serious traction from the Notre Dame side after a productive trip.

Heading into Thursday, LSU felt strong in their position for Koval, but the Notre Dame steam ramped up in a big way come the evening.

The Buzz: Notre Dame

Koval is fresh off of an official visit to Notre Dame last weekend and there’s been buzz surrounding the five-star to South Bend ever since. She took her official visit and immediately locked in a commitment date, but that appeared to always be the plan.

LSU and Notre Dame were the finalists, and after visits, it became decision time, but there’s traction gaining for the Fighting Irish.

The Tigers were expected to go in-home for a visit on Friday, but plans could change on that front. We’ll have more on this later.

A player who can come in and immediately impact a title contending LSU squad, it would be a monster get, but the Tigers will be in a battle until the final buzzer for one of America’s top talents.

What Is Koval’s Game?

ESPN: Koval is another post player with size, mobility, agility, and skill. She is no stranger to a strong schedule being the anchor of Long Island Lutheran, as well as NY Exodus for the last two years. She has back to the basket game, face up game, and range out to the 3. She made a very memorable play at last year's Nike TOC in Phoenix, where she sprinted the floor and broke down with impeccable foot work for the spot up 3 from the wing to put LUHI up late in the fourth quarter of the final. Koval's poise and patience in the post are very key. She passes well out of the double team, scores in the face up, carves out space for rebounds, and can move well defensively.

Learn More About The Five-Star:

If you want to learn more about ‘24 Kate Koval & her story check out this video by SlapBoxCreative, you can follow them on Instagram.

If you’re looking for a player to root for, look no further than this video & be sure to tune into her commitment on Wednesday, October 4th.… pic.twitter.com/GBkDx6lvhJ
— LuHi Girls Basketball (@LuHiGBasketball) September 29, 2023