Sr. Jean Dolores Schmidt, better known as just "Sr. Jean," has officially retired from her role as the chaplain of the Loyola University Chicago's men's basketball team out of concern for her health, reported the Loyola Phoenix and other local Chicago outlets.
Schmidt, who celebrated her 106th birthday on August 21, had been the chaplain of the school's men's basketball team since 1994. She began working at Loyola University Chicago in 1991, when the school merged with Mundelein College.
“Sister Jean is retiring and stepping back from official duties at Loyola,” Loyola Chicago's Vice President of Communications Christian Anderson wrote to the on-campus paper in early September. “We are mindful of Sister’s privacy in regards to health and can’t comment beyond what was mentioned in her [Aug. 21] message.”
In that message, the school's president Mark C. Reed noted that Schmidt was no longer on campus, but "she remains a beloved friend, trusted advisor, and loyal Rambler — cheering for our teams and praying for us all daily."
The Loyola Phoenix was inquiring as to why Schmidt had not yet been seen on campus since the fall semester began, a stark difference to years past. Previously, students could visit Schmidt during her office hours at the school's student center.
Sr. Jean's impact
The world first learned about Sr. Jean in 2018, when her beloved Ramblers managed to make the NCAA basketball Final Four. Schmidt was seen courtside at games as the No. 11-seed Loyola Chicago took down college basketball giants Miami, Tennessee, and Kansas State on their road to the national semifinal.
While Loyola University Chicago has yet to replicate its remarkable 2018 run, basketball fans have not forgotten about her.
Searches for "Sister Jean" peak each year in March, the month the NCAA basketball tournament begins, according to data from Google Trends.
This is even more notable considering that in 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025, Loyola University Chicago did not make the NCAA March Madness tournament.
