Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, who was better known as “Sister Jean” and a long-time fixture at Loyola basketball games, has died at age 106.
Sister Jean captured the nation’s heart during the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, as the Loyola squad made it to the Final Four in a string of shocking upsets.
Serving as the chaplain for the team, she was a beloved figure both on campus and in the press, cheering the team from the sidelines and stealing the hearts of millions.
Sister Jean retired from her role at the university earlier this year due to health concerns, though the school said she remained as an adviser in the final months of her life.
“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 took a job at Mundelein College in 1961, and remained at the school after it affiliated with Loyola in 1991, the school said in a press release. She began serving as an advisor and then as the chaplain for the men’s basketball team for decades, becoming a fixture at games.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced, but the school said it will share those details in coming days.