Loyola-Chicago unveils jersey patch honoring Sister Jean
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The official start of the 2025-26 college basketball season is set to tip off next week, and it will be the first time in over 30 years that the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers will take the court without their beloved team chaplain, Sister Jean.
Her presence will still be felt on the court this season, though. The Ramblers announced on Tuesday that they will be wearing a special patch on their jerseys all season in honor of her memory.
Sister Jean Dolores Smith spent over 30 years as the team chaplain for Loyola-Chicago, from 1994 until she stepped down earlier this year due to health complications. She gained national fame for her presence on the sidelines during the Ramblers’ magical run to the Final Four in 2018.
During that run, the Ramblers upset several higher-seeded opponents before being knocked out by the eventual national runner-up, the Michigan Wolverines, during the Final Four.
Sister Jean also held various positions during her tenure at the university, and she was well-known and highly regarded for her contributions to both the school and the community.
She passed away earlier this month at the age of 106.
Now, she’ll be honored all season long by the team and university she invested so much of her time and life in with this heartwarming gesture as the Ramblers look to put together another NCAA Tournament-worthy campaign in her honor. Loyola opens the season at home against Cleveland State on Nov. 3.
