Loyola Chicago's Sister Jean Retires at Age 106 amid Growing Health Concerns

Sister Jean, who became a sensation during Loyola Chicago's run to the Final Four in the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament, has retired at the age of 106.

An email from Christian Andersen, Loyola Chicago's vice president of communications, to Paige Dillinger of the Loyola Phoenix confirmed Sister Jean's retirement amid growing health concerns.

"Sister Jean is retiring and stepping back from official duties at Loyola," Anderson wrote. "We are mindful of Sister's privacy in regards to health and can't comment beyond what was mentioned in her [Aug. 21] message."

Confirmation of Sister Jean's retirement comes after Loyola Chicago president Mark C. Reed wrote a message on the university website in celebration of her 106th birthday:

"Today, we celebrate not only this remarkable milestone, but also the wisdom, hope, and joy Sister Jean shares so generously with us. Her ministry of presence has touched thousands of lives—students, faculty, staff, alumni—across more than six decades at Loyola and Mundelein College. We are deeply grateful. 

"While Sister Jean is no longer able to be physically present on campus, she remains a beloved friend, trusted advisor, and loyal Rambler—cheering for our teams and praying for us all daily.  

"We invite you to send Sister Jean a birthday message here and read her message below. Thank you, Sister Jean, for the many blessings you bring to the Loyola community."

Speaking to Seth Davis of Hoops HQ around the time of her 106th birthday, Sister Jean said she was hoping to return to work soon, but would listen to the people around her to determine what was best for her going forward.

"I have a committee of people who have to evaluate that," she said. "Sometimes we have to overcome events because you have no control."

Sister Jean, whose full name is Jean Dolores Schmidt, originally moved to Chicago in 1961 when she took a job at Mundelein College. When Mundelein and Loyola became affiliated in 1991, she took a job with Loyola Chicago.

Starting in 1994, Sister Jean became the chaplain for the university's men's basketball team. The 2017-18 season saw the Ramblers secure their first NCAA tournament berth in 33 years.

Sister Jean, who was 98 at the time, was a fixture at courtside cheering on the team. The Ramblers had one of the great Cinderella runs of all-time, advancing to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed before losing to Michigan.

She also appeared courtside for Loyola Chicago's next two tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022. The 2021 team advanced to the Sweet 16, including an upset win over No. 1 seed Illinois in which she delivered a pre-game prayer with the Ramblers that featured a scouting report about the Illini.

"As we play the Fighting Illini, we ask for special help to overcome this team and get a great win," she said. "We hope to score early and make our opponents nervous. We have a great opportunity to convert rebounds as this team makes about 50% of layups and 30% of its 3 points. Our defense can take care of that."

Illinois only made 28.6 percent of its threes in that game, proving her right that the defense could take care of that.

In addition to her decades-long work at Loyola Chicago, Sister Jean is a huge figure across the state of Illinois. Governor J.B. Pritzker declared Aug. 21, 2019, as "Sister Jean Day" throughout the state in honor of her 100th birthday.