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Sister Jean, at 101, pleads to join Loyola Chicago in Indianapolis: ‘I’m not going to cause any disturbance’
By Keith Farner
Published:
Loyola Chicago became a darling of the NCAA Tournament in 2018, and one of the biggest personalities was their team chaplain, the now 101-year-old Sister Jean.
This year, the team is back in the Big Dance, but because of capacity restrictions and NCAA guidelines, there’s a chance that Sister Jean won’t be able to attend. She’s not going to take “no” for an answer so easily, though, and she shared those thoughts with Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune.
“They said there’s restrictions,” Sister Jean told Ryan. “You can’t run down on the court. You can’t talk to the young men. I said, ‘I’m not going to run down on the court, and I’m not going to cause any disturbance.’ I said, ‘I won’t do things I’m not supposed to.’”
Of course, being 101, Sister Jean has defied the odds before in more ways than one.
“I was like that old woman in the Gospels who went to the judge so many times the judge finally said, ‘Let’s let her do what she wants,’” Sister Jean said with a laugh.
Even beyond the beloved team chaplain, the Ramblers are a solid team. Loyola (24-4) and ensured an NCAA Tournament invitation with a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship. Still, the Ramblers built a resume worthy of March Madness before that. They lead Division I basketball in defense (55.5 points per game) and are known for unselfishness on offense.
The NCAA has a reputation of not bending to these kinds of heart-warming stories. Let’s see if it changes its tune this time and gives Sister Jean the permission she is seeking.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.