March Madness icon Sister Jean dies at 106
Loyola University Chicago announced its beloved Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt – known to millions as “Sister Jean” – has died at the age of 106. The university confirmed that she passed away on Thursday.
“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.
The news comes just a month after the university announced that Sister Jean would be retiring and stepping back from her official duties.
“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,” Reed said. “In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us.”
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Sister Jean was a basketball player herself while she was a student at St. Paul’s High School in San Francisco.
A March Madness legend
Sister Jean became a national sensation during Loyola’s 2018 March Madness run, when the 11-seed Ramblers reached the Final Four for the first time since their 1963 national championship.
The then 98-year-old team chaplain captured hearts courtside in her maroon and scarf, offering prayers, pep talks and game analysis. Her charisma and optimism made her a media darling – she even held a press conference that reporters say drew more coverage than Tom Brady at the Super Bowl.
A lifetime of service
Born Dolores Berth Schmidt on Aug. 21, 1919, Sister Jean joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1937. She taught at Catholic schools in Chicago and California before arriving at Mundelein College in 1961.
After Mundelein affiliated with Loyola in 1991, Sister Jean continued to serve the university community. By 1994, she had joined the men’s basketball team as an academic adviser. She later became chaplain, a role she held for decades.
Beyond basketball, Sister Jean led weekly prayer groups, counseled students and founded Students Moving Into the Lives of the Elderly (SMILE), a program connecting Loyola students with residents in assisted living.
A legacy of faith and joy
Over her long life, Sister Jean received numerous honors. She was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 and awarded the university’s highest distinction, the Sword of Loyola, the following year.
Sister Jean received an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis on her 100th birthday. In 2024, she received a presidential proclamation from former President Joe Biden recognizing her lifetime of service.
She also released a memoir in 2023, “Wake Up with Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years.”
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