Sister Jean, the beloved Loyola Chicago chaplain who became a national icon during the school’s 2018 NCAA Tournament run, has died at the age of 106.
Loyola University Chicago is greatly saddened to confirm the death of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM. This is a tremendous loss of someone who touched the lives of so many people. We appreciate everyone’s thoughts & prayers during this difficult time. Details to follow. pic.twitter.com/zPiMY1MsIu
— Loyola University Chicago (@LoyolaChicago) October 10, 2025
Loyola University announced the news Thursday night, calling it “a tremendous loss of someone who touched the lives of so many people.” Born Jean Dolores Schmidt in San Francisco in 1919, she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a young woman and began her long career in education and ministry.
Loyola hired her in 1991, and three years later, she became chaplain for the men’s basketball team — a role she held for more than three decades.
Sister Jean became a household name in 2018, when the Ramblers shocked the nation with their Cinderella run to the Final Four. Her pregame pep talks, radiant optimism, and ever-present smile made her a symbol of faith and positivity in sports. She even became something of a March Madness celebrity, complete with her own bobblehead and fan gear.
When asked on her 105th birthday about the secret to such a long, full life, Sister Jean told the Chicago Sun-Times it came down to “loving others and God, taking care of your mind and body, and interacting with young people.”
Tributes poured in Thursday night from across the basketball world. “She was 106 years old and never had a bad day,” wrote college basketball insider Seth Davis. “The world has lost a true gem.”
Sister Jean lived long enough to see generations of Loyola students pass through her care — and to leave behind a legacy of kindness that went far beyond basketball.