Sports
Sports

Sweet 16 Highlight: Watch Sister Jean’s pregame prayer for Loyola-Chicago

**EMBARGO: No electronic distribution, Web posting or street sales before 2:01 a.m. ET Thursday, March 22, 2018. No exceptions for any reasons. EMBARGO set by source.** FILE -- Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, chaplain for Loyola-Chicago’s men's basketball team, on the university campus in Chicago, March 11, 2018. With Loyola about the face Nevada in the NCAA tournament's round of 16 on Thursday, the 98-year-old nun has become a media darling, recently capping an interview-filled 24 hours with an appearance on “Good Morning America.” (Alyssa Schukar/The New York Times)

Credit: ALYSSA SCHUKAR

Credit: ALYSSA SCHUKAR

**EMBARGO: No electronic distribution, Web posting or street sales before 2:01 a.m. ET Thursday, March 22, 2018. No exceptions for any reasons. EMBARGO set by source.** FILE -- Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, chaplain for Loyola-Chicago’s men's basketball team, on the university campus in Chicago, March 11, 2018. With Loyola about the face Nevada in the NCAA tournament's round of 16 on Thursday, the 98-year-old nun has become a media darling, recently capping an interview-filled 24 hours with an appearance on “Good Morning America.” (Alyssa Schukar/The New York Times)
By Juliakate E Culpepper
March 22, 2018

The most famous member of Loyola-Chicago’s squad, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt said her traditional pregame prayer for the Ramblers Thursday before they tipped off for their first Sweet 16 appearance in over three decades.

Sister Jean, Loyola’s 98-year-old team chaplain who’s been with the Ramblers basketball team since 1994, prayed for the team like she’s done before every game this season.

"Stay focused,” Dolores-Schmidt said. “Use your heads and your hearts."

About the Author

Juliakate E Culpepper
More Stories

Keep Reading

Kirby Smart (left) and Georgia beat Brent Key and Georgia Tech 44-42 in eight overtimes last November in Athens. The Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets bring Clean Old-Fashioned Hate off campus for 2025, playing at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2024)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Weekend Predictions: Falcons, Clean Old-Fashioned Hate and Kennesaw State

ROD BEARD

Family, food and football: Continuing the tradition of giving thanks

AJC Senior Sports Editor Rod Beard carries on an Atlanta tradition started seven decades ago by AJC writer Furman Bisher, with Thanksgiving thoughts.

Georgia State falls to New Mexico State at the Cancun Challenge, 77-58

Led by Jemel Jones' 12 points, the New Mexico State Aggies defeated the Georgia State Panthers 77-58 on Wednesday at the Cancun Challenge

The Latest

General view as the Atlanta Hawks host the San Antonio at State Farm Arena, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Atlanta. The Spurs won 126-125. (Jason Getz / AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Atlanta TV sports listings

Weekend Predictions: Falcons, Clean Old-Fashioned Hate and Kennesaw State

ROD BEARD

Family, food and football: Continuing the tradition of giving thanks

Featured

Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller

Metro Atlanta retailers hopeful for strong holiday season after chaotic year

Some independent retailers in metro Atlanta are entering this holiday season feeling battered by what they call a chaotic year.

$21B data center proposal aims to become one of Georgia’s largest

Trammell Crow Co. is planning a $21 billion technology campus for a 1,632-acre site along I-75 roughly 60 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

This metro Atlanta couple spearheaded a change in football helmets

Erin and Lee Hanson are the founders behind Guardian Sports, the company that makes the Guardian Caps worn by college football and NFL players.