The face of one of the greatest Cinderella teams in NCAA Tournament history is no longer with us.
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the longtime team chaplain at Loyola Chicago University, passed away on October 9, the university announced. She was 106 years old.
Catholic Nun gained national attention during the Ramblers’ improbable run to the Final Four in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, becoming only the fourth No. 11 seed to reach college basketball’s highest stage at the time. Sister Jean loved basketball and would pray for her team before games. It was bound to be televised before the upset victory. She also sent personalized emails to players, praising them after good games and encouraging them after bad ones.
“She means so much to this program and to the city of Chicago. Her aura is so bright. … She’s like no one else,” former player Donte Ingram said at the 2018 Final Four.
After Loyola Chicago’s buzzer-beating victory over Miami in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Sister Jean became an overnight celebrity, with photos and videos of her hugging players after the win going viral.
“Everything seemed to skyrocket,” she said of her sudden popularity at a packed Final Four press conference in San Antonio. “I can’t believe it. I wake up and say, ‘Is this real or a dream?'” And I say, “No, it’s really true.” …This is the most fun thing I’ve ever done in my life. ”
Her fame grew even more when the Ramblers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 33 years and ultimately to the Final Four for the first time since 1963. That’s when the program won a national championship in a game that broke racial barriers. She had her own bobblehead and Nike shoes, but her face was on a T-shirt and socks as Loyola’s storybook run resonated beyond the sports world. In April, after running the bases for Loyola, she threw out the first pitch at the Chicago Cubs’ season opener and posed for photos with then-Ramblers coach Porter Moser, players, and then-Cubs manager Joe Maddon.
Sister Jean became a household name, but long before she became a household name, she was a fixture on Loyola’s campus on Chicago’s North Side. Sister Dolores Schmidt of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady came to Loyola in 1991 and became the team’s chaplain shortly thereafter. She had an office in the student center on campus, lived in the freshman dorms, and offered advice to visitors.
She had only recently officially retired from her job.
“In her many roles at Loyola for 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 a sense of sadness and loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing to our entire community, and her spirit lives on in thousands of lives.
“In her honor, we can hope to share with others the love and compassion that Sister Jean shared with us.”
This story has been updated with new information.
