Sister Jean, Loyola Chicago Chaplain and March Madness Icon, Dies at 106

Image courtesy of Loyola Today.

By Griffin Cappiello

Last Thursday, Loyola University Chicago announced that Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, the iconic chaplain of the Loyola men’s basketball team who rose to fame during their 2018 Final Four run, has passed away at 106 years old. 

Known throughout the Loyola community for her various roles on campus, Sister Jean quickly became an international celebrity during the Ramblers’ first Final Four appearance in the NCAA March Madness tournament since 1963. The then-98-year-old nun sat on the sidelines in her wheelchair with a maroon and gold scarf draped around her neck and captured the hearts of college basketball fans around the world as the 11-seed Ramblers knocked off team after team. Sister Jean was one of the most talked-about topics of the tournament, and Sister Jean merchandise was quickly created, including bobbleheads with her likeness. 

“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 press release. “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.” 

Born Dolores Bertha Schmidt in San Francisco, CA, she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1937 and took the name Sister Jean Dolores. She taught at Catholic schools in California and in Chicago, including at Mundelein College, a Catholic women’s college that merged with Loyola in 1991. In 1994, Sister Jean joined the men’s basketball team as an academic advisor before eventually transitioning to team chaplain. 

As team chaplain, Sister Jean would circle the team around her as she led them in prayer in the tunnel before each game, asking for players to play to the best of their abilities and remain uninjured. She also led the fans in prayer, asking God to help the referees to call a fair game and to grant the Ramblers a win. 

“Sometimes my prayers don’t seem very holy, but they mean a lot to the players,” Sister Jean told The Chicago Tribune in 2019. “I (roam) the concourse during halftime, and opponents’ fans will say, ‘You pray harder for Loyola.’ I say, ‘If you wore gold and maroon, you would too.’”

Unlike other team chaplains, however, Sister Jean offered more than just spiritual support. After each game, she would send an email to the coaches and players celebrating their strong performances and pointing out areas that might need improvement. 

When former coach Porter Moser, who ran the men’s basketball program from 2011 to 2021, arrived at Loyola, he received a full scouting report of the team — courtesy of Sister Jean.  “She still sends me an email after every single game,” Moser told the Peoria Journal Star in 2017. “There is no human like her.”

When the Ramblers made their Cinderella run in the 2018 March Madness tournament, Sister Jean came along for the ride. Loyola players lined up to hug her after each game, and fans and celebrities alike requested selfies with America’s favorite nun. 

“She’s just a wonderful person,” Loyola guard Marques Townes said at the time. “Just to have her around and her presence and her aura, when you see her, it’s just like the world is just great because her spirit and her faith in us and Loyola basketball.”

Sister Jean received recognition from University, Church, and world leaders throughout her life. In 2017, she was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame, and in 2018, she received the Sword of Loyola, the highest honor given by the University. She received an Apolostic Blessing from Pope Francis on her 100th birthday, proclamations from Illinois governor JB Pritzker and then-Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot dedicating the day in honor of her 103rd birthday celebrations, and a proclamation from President Joe Biden for her 105th. 

In her memoir Wake Up with Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years, co-authored with Sean Davis and published in February 2023, Sister Jean wrote, “All I’ve ever wanted to do was to serve God, and my way of doing that has been to work with young people, encourage them, give them spiritual guidance, and help them live out their dreams.” In reflecting on her life, it is safe to say Sister Jean accomplished just that.