Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the longtime team chaplain for the Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team, has passed away. As the school confirmed on Thursday night, she died at the age of 106 on October 9.
Sister Jean had worked several roles on the school’s campus for over six decades, and eventually rose to nationwide prominence during the Ramblers’ storybook run during the 2018 NCAA Tournament. An avid basketball fan, the then-98-year-old became a spiritual mascot for the school as it advanced to the Final Four as an 11-seed.
Sister Jean remained involved with Loyola University and its basketball program until earlier this year, when she announced she would step down due to health reasons.
“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 provided by the school.
“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.”
Born on August 21, 1919 as Dolores Bertha Schmidt, she attended St. Paul’s High School in her hometown of San Francisco, where she played on the girls basketball team. After graduation in 1937, she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Adopting the name Sister Jean Dolores, she taught at Catholic schools in California and Chicago, eventually joining Mundelein College — a school that later became affiliated with Loyola — in 1961.
She became academic advisor to the school’s men’s basketball team in 1994, and over time transitioned to team chaplain. Sister Jean was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 and recognized for her achievements both in basketball and beyond by Pope Francis and President Biden, among countless others.
The school announced that funeral arrangements will be posted when available.
