CHICAGO — Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, a nun who became a national sports icon for cheering on the Loyola men’s basketball teams during their NCAA Tournament runs, died Thursday, the school said. She was 106.
Sister Jean, as seemingly everyone on campus and later the sports world knew her, had served as the team chaplain since 1994 until her retirement this summer. For decades she was a fixture at Ramblers games, offering pregame prayers with players and fans.
She became nationally adored as Loyola made a seemingly miraculous Final Four run in 2018 as her wheelchair was pushed onto the court after each victory and Loyola players greeted her with gentle hugs as they exited the floor.
“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.”
At 5 feet tall, Sister Jean stood out at Loyola games often wearing a letterman’s jacket or a maroon and gold scarf along with a pair of Nikes. She lived in a freshman dormitory on campus and had an office in the student center, where young adults struggling with studies or homesickness would often pop by for a chat.
She also was competitive.
When former coach Porter Moser was hired in 2011, Sister Jean left an envelope filled with scouting reports on his desk for him. She would email players words of encouragement after games but also advice on how to improve.
She called her 98th year of life “fun.” Sports celebrities such as Charles Barkley, Bill Walton and Dick Vitale requested a chance to meet her. She was approached frequently by fans for selfies. She made headlines nationally — and as she was often quick to remind reporters, also “internationally” — and was interviewed on “Good Morning America” and CNN.
In 2018, Loyola made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1985 and its first Final Four since 1963. The Ramblers qualified for the tournament again in 2021 and 2022.
But Sister Jean was no newcomer to sports.
She was born on Aug. 21, 1919, in San Francisco to a family of sports fans. During high school from 1933-37, she played on the girls basketball team. For girls at that time, the court was divided into three sections, and only the forwards could shoot.
“I was a very short girl, so I didn’t shoot,” she told the Tribune in February 2018.
In 1939, Sister Jean said, a rule changed allowed girls to play half-court. She became a teacher and coach, and “at noon, during lunch on the playground, I would have the boys play the girls. I told them, ‘I know you have to hold back because you play full court, but we need to make our girls strong.’ And they did make them strong.”
Sister Jean said she knew she wanted to become a nun in third grade when she was inspired by her teacher. After high school, she left for Iowa to join the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary convent. In 1941 she returned to teach in California, where her students included actor/comedian Bob Hope’s children.
In 1961 she accepted a teaching job at Mundelein College, an all-women’s school near Loyola. She attended athletic events at both schools and drove some Mundelein teams to competitions.
Mundelein merged with Loyola in 1991, and Sister Jean retired from the education department around that time. She told the Tribune she served as a “booster shooter,” checking up on athletes’ studies but not acting as an adviser.
The basketball team’s chaplain retired and asked if she would like to take the position.
“I wanted to be their friend first of all and be sure to encourage them,” she told the Tribune. “They know they can talk to me any time they want.”
Sister Jean missed few games in her tenure as chaplain, but was sidelined for nine home games during the 2017-18 season after breaking her hip. Even in the hospital, she tracked the games online and emailed players.
She insisted on traveling with the Ramblers to watch them win that season’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament in St. Louis, and then trekked to NCAA Tournament sites Dallas, Atlanta and San Antonio.
Sister Jean said shortly before her 99th birthday the following August that she had a health setback with her right leg.
Her birthday celebration was attended by students, athletic staff members and coaches at the campus student center. Her cake included 99 candles and Moser presented her with a Ramblers No. 99 jersey.
Sister Jean in 2019 celebrated her 100th birthday.
Her secret to a long life?
“I eat well and sleep well,” she said at the time. “And hopefully I pray well.”
Shannon Ryan is a former Chicago Tribune sports writer.