Sister Jean passed away at age 106 on Thursday night. Although her death is met with sadness by the millions she inspired, it’s important to look back on her remarkable impact on the Loyola Chicago basketball program.
It’s hard to believe that eight years ago, the world was reintroduced to Loyola Chicago men’s basketball — a program that won the NCAA championship in 1963 but hadn’t earned a tournament bid since 1985.
Then a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, the team took care of business in St. Louis, earning an NCAA Tournament berth as an 11 seed.
Despite a solid roster featuring players who would become household college basketball names — Cameron Krutwig, Lucas Williamson and Clayton Custer — few expected the Ramblers to upset a Jim Larrañaga-coached Miami team.
But one woman’s faith helped fuel one of the greatest Cinderella runs in college basketball history: Jean Dolores Schmidt, better known as Sister Jean.
In the age of viral sensations, the internet has delivered plenty. But few captured hearts like Sister Jean, who inspired Loyola Chicago during its 2018 NCAA Tournament run.
At 98 years old, she served as the team’s chaplain, offering prayers and encouragement that helped the Ramblers reach the Final Four, where Michigan eventually defeated them.
Though Loyola fell short of its second national championship, America fell in love with Sister Jean. She became the face of a team that embodied the underdog spirit, believing you could advance one day at a time.
After the historic run and the celebrity that came with it, Sister Jean returned to her simple life. She could often be found in her small office at the Loyola Chicago student center, surrounded by memorabilia and faith.
One thing never changed: her love of college basketball.
The Ramblers qualified for the NCAA Tournament several more times, including a Sweet 16 appearance during the 2020–21 season.
Although Sister Jean was initially expected to skip the tournament due to COVID-19 concerns, she ultimately attended, allowing America to celebrate her once again.
Even after coach Porter Moser left for Oklahoma, Sister Jean saw one more tournament run when first-year coach Drew Valentine led Loyola back to March Madness.
Now, with another season set to begin in just a few weeks, the loss of Sister Jean feels immeasurable.
Though she hadn’t been attending games in person recently, she never stopped watching the Ramblers play whenever she could.
And if there’s one thing we know, it’s that Sister Jean will be up there, sending her blessings to Loyola Chicago as the team begins another season.
Sister Jean will never be forgotten and will always be remembered as America’s Cinderella.
