Loyola Chicago’s beloved basketball fan Sister Jean dies at 106
By Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, a longtime team chaplain for Loyola University Chicago, has died at the age of 106, the university announced on Thursday.
Famously known as Sister Jean, she became a good luck charm for the Ramblers basketball team after reaching TV fame in 2018 when cameras showed her pre-game prayer and her cheering from the sidelines as the team went on a Cinderella run at the NCAA tournament.
“In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff,” Loyola President Mark C. Reed said in a statement.
“While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community and her spirit abides in thousands of lives. In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us.”
Sister Jean was born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on August 21, 1919, before taking the name Sister Jean Dolores in 1937.
She started teaching at Mundelein College in Chicago in 1961 before the school merged with Loyola in 1991.
In 1994, she started as the school’s chaplain before becoming a viral sensation during the 2018 men’s NCAA basketball tournament.
The Ramblers went on to reach the Final Four, before losing to the University of Michigan.
When the program secured a spot in the 2021 men’s NCAA tournament, Sister Jean got the green light to go cheer on her squad in Indianapolis, Indiana after getting fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Ramblers March Madness magic continued that year, upsetting the No. 1 seeded Illinois Fighting Illini to advance to the Sweet 16.
Sister Jean retired in August from her duties at the university due to health concerns, though she reportedly remained an adviser in the final months of her life.
When CNN’s Coy Wire interviewed Sister Jean during the 2018 postseason, he told the basketball icon she was a celebrity.
“I know,” she replied. “That’s what they tell me. You probably know, I corrected the reporter the other day. She said, ‘You’re national.’ I said, ‘No, we’re international.’”
In 2023, at the age of 103, Sister Jean published a memoir called,“Wake Up with Purpose: What I’ve Learned in My First 100 Years,” detailing her journey through life and spiritually.
According to the school, Sister Jean is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Tidwell, and her niece, Jan Schmidt.
Visitation and funeral arrangements will be announced by the university shortly.
CNN’s Coy Wire contributed to this report.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
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