From Ukraine to South Bend, Kate Koval’s basketball journey is a tale worth reciting. Standing at 6-foot-5, this talented freshman has quickly made her mark in the basketball world by showcasing just why she was one of the most coveted recruits in the class of 2024.

With her exceptional start to the 2024-25 season that has seen her produce a game with 7-blocks and a host of accolades already to her name, Koval is not just another player donning the #13 jersey—she’s a star in the making.

A loud start to the freshman season

At age 18, in her debut match against Mercyhurst, Koval put up 18 points while grabbing seven rebounds, and making five blocks, all the while shooting an astounding 81.8% from the floor. It marked the first time since 2007 that a Notre Dame player recorded five blocks in a season opener.

In her first five games as a freshman at Notre Dame, Kate has averaged 11.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in the paint while also having an insane 4.8 blocks per game. According to OptaSTATS, her 40 points, 33 rebounds, 8 assists, and 15 blocks across her first three games at Notre Dame made her the first Division I freshman, male or female, to reach those numbers since Kentucky’s Anthony Davis.

Koval also had a monstrous seven-block game in her performance against Lafayette on November 17. She did this while posting a truly ridiculous stat line of 11 points and 19 rebounds. This game also saw her becoming the first Fighting Irish player since Brianna Turner in 2017 to achieve a seven-block game.

High School Dominance and a Global Journey

However, behind every one of Koval’s shots and blocks is a basketball journey that began thousands of miles away in Ukraine. Where she would represent her country Ukraine in Under 18 and Under 16 European championships and the 3×3 U18 World Cup.

With her sights set on the College basketball scene in the US, Koval, however, enrolled in Long Island Lutheran High School, where she took her game to another level.

In her junior season, according to maxpreps.com, the 6’5″ center would average 12 points, while grabbing 11 rebounds, and blocking 2 shots per game, to lead her team to the state Federation Class AA title and the finals of the prestigious GEICO Nationals.

She would especially go on a warpath in the semifinals by scoring 38 points to set a tournament record, thereby earning rank 5 on ESPN’s top 100 recruits in the country list.

While reflecting on her decision to choose the Fighting Irish over other prestigious programs such as Stanford and LSU, Koval would share in an interview with Newsday, “Notre Dame is such a big school internationally. Just to add Ukraine to their list is pretty awesome.” Her decision to choose Notre Dame, however, was both a combination of top-tier academics and the basketball tradition, as she would further expand on it further by stating, “I just feel it’s the best of two worlds for me. I have a great relationship with the coaches, and I really liked what the school had to offer academically and basketball-wise.”

No matter what, Notre Dame seems to have got a centerpiece to rally around for years to come in Koval. As her impact isn’t just confined to stats; as witnessed by the pivotal role she played in Long Island Lutheran’s success, where she led the team to win the Nike Tournament of Champions and contend for national recognition.

In fact, this has earned her much praise from her high school coach Christina Raiti who stated, “She’s definitely unique. Her skillset mixed with her personality and her excellence in the classroom is a very unique combination.”

Her accolades include being a McDonald’s All-American, a SLAM All-American, and a Jordan Brand Classic participant.

Motivated by Home

Now that she is at Notre Dame, she wishes to earn even more accolades for the storied women’s basketball program. In fact, Koval has embraced the challenge of contributing to the legacy of the program that has won two national championships and made seven Final Four appearances since 2011.

“I want to be a part of more championships for the school,” Koval said. “Just knowing that I’m going to have people around me who have the same goals, I’m pretty excited about that.”

Off the court, Koval intends to major in pre-professional studies, wanting to excel in all aspects of her life. This drive also stems from her experience as a refugee from Ukraine. In fact, when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Koval’s father stayed behind to help protect their home country, while Koval focused on making the most of the opportunities she had in the U.S.

“I definitely always think about home,” Koval said. “I think about my parents all the time and how they gave me the opportunity to come here. I’m always happy to put the name out there for Ukraine.” Certainly an exciting journey to watch unfold.