Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt wasn’t always 98 years young.
The Loyola-Chicago Ramblers team chaplain has emerged as perhaps the breakout star of the NCAA Tournament, as her infectious support for the team’s Cinderella run to the Final Four has captured the hearts of the sporting public.
But Sister Jean isn’t new to Ramblers basketball, having backed the team for decades. In fact, she was integral to the Loyola community the last time the Ramblers reached the Final Four in 1963.
Deadspin’s Timothy Burke shared a 1963 photo of Sister Jean last Saturday via Twitter. She was 48 years old at the time the photo was taken.
Now, 55 years later, she has become the de-facto chaplain of U.S. sports, as several NFL teams have requested she visit them and celebrities like Charles Barkley line up to hang out with her at the Final Four.
The Ramblers will face third-seeded Michigan on Saturday in San Antonio, Texas, in the Final Four. As always, Sister Jean will be front and center.
