Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the indomitable and ever-cheerful chaplain of Loyola University Chicago’s men’s basketball team, passed away on October 10, 2025, at the remarkable age of 106. Her death, announced by the university on Thursday, marks the end of an era for both Loyola and college basketball fans across the nation. For more than sixty years, Sister Jean was a fixture of campus life and a guiding light for generations of students, athletes, and faculty. But it was the Ramblers’ magical run to the NCAA Final Four in 2018 that propelled her from beloved campus icon to international celebrity—a journey that would inspire millions and redefine what it means to be a team’s “good luck charm.”
Born Dolores Bertha Schmidt in San Francisco on August 21, 1919, she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1937, taking the name Sister Jean Dolores. Her early years were marked by a passion for both faith and athletics—she played basketball in her youth and later coached girls’ teams while teaching at Catholic schools in Chicago and Southern California. In the 1960s, she joined Mundelein College on Chicago’s lakefront, and when that institution affiliated with Loyola in 1991, Sister Jean was brought on to help students navigate the transition. By 1994, she was serving as an academic adviser to the men’s basketball team, a role that soon blossomed into her legendary post as team chaplain.
Her tenure as chaplain was marked by a unique blend of spiritual guidance, practical advice, and boundless enthusiasm. As Loyola’s president Mark C. Reed put it, “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. 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.”
It was during the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament that Sister Jean became a household name. Loyola, seeded 11th, stunned the basketball world by defeating higher-ranked teams—Miami, Tennessee, Nevada, and Kansas State—before falling to Michigan in the Final Four. Throughout that Cinderella run, Sister Jean was a constant presence courtside, sporting maroon and gold, leading prayers, and offering encouragement not just to her own team, but to their opponents as well. Her pre-game prayers were broadcast on national television, and her infectious positivity won the hearts of fans everywhere. “She’s an incredible person,” Loyola guard Clayton Custer said at the time, echoing the sentiments of teammates and rivals alike.
Her fame was not limited to the basketball court. Sister Jean’s likeness appeared on bobbleheads and athletic apparel, and she was the subject of countless national TV interviews—sometimes even holding her own press conferences before games. T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like “Win One for the Nun!” became staples in the stands, and a sign at the Alamodome in San Antonio famously urged Michigan to “Obey Jean’s Plan.” As she herself told CNN’s Coy Wire during the 2018 postseason, “I know [I’m a celebrity]. That’s what they tell me. You probably know, I corrected the reporter the other day. She said, ‘You’re national.’ I said, ‘No, we’re international.’”
Her influence extended far beyond basketball. Sister Jean was a spiritual mentor to countless students, holding weekly prayer groups and launching the SMILE program (Students Moving Into the Lives of the Elderly), which connected Loyola students with residents at The Clare, an assisted living community. “That’s being a person for others by just being yourself,” she once said. “That’s the way I am. I have to be myself. I tell students that—you’ll see people that you admire, you can do some of the things they do, but you have to be yourself. God made you the person who you are.”
Even as she aged, Sister Jean’s energy and commitment never seemed to wane. In 2019, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker proclaimed August 21 “Sister Jean Day” across the state in honor of her 100th birthday. When she turned 103, the Chicago train station plaza at Loyola’s campus was renamed after her, with a sign proudly declaring it the “Home of the World Famous Sister Jean!” President Joe Biden sent her flowers and, on her 105th birthday, a proclamation celebrating her “life well lived.”
Her connection with the Ramblers remained strong, even after her official retirement in August 2025 due to health concerns. In 2021, after being fully vaccinated against Covid-19, she traveled to Indianapolis to cheer on Loyola in the NCAA tournament, where the team upset top-seeded Illinois to reach the Sweet 16. Before that game, she offered the team both a prayer and a detailed scouting report, famously telling them, “We have a great opportunity to convert rebounds as this team makes about 50% of layups and 30% of its 3 [pointers]. Our defense can take care of that.” The advice worked, and the Ramblers advanced in dramatic fashion.
Sister Jean’s legacy is also preserved in her memoir, “Wake Up with Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years,” published in 2023. In it, she reflected on her journey, her faith, and the lessons she hoped to impart to future generations. “I think sports [are] very important because they help develop life skills, and during those life skills you’re also talking about faiths and purpose,” she wrote. Her story is one of resilience, compassion, and unwavering optimism—a testament to the power of kindness and the enduring impact one person can have on a community.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Tidwell, and her niece, Jan Schmidt. Loyola University Chicago has announced that visitation and funeral arrangements will be shared in the coming days, giving the community an opportunity to celebrate a life that touched so many.
Sister Jean’s passing leaves a void that will be impossible to fill, but her spirit—her laughter, her wisdom, her faith—will continue to inspire. As the Loyola community and basketball fans everywhere mourn her loss, they also remember the joy and unity she brought to the world, one prayer and one smile at a time.
