Back during Loyola Chicago’s Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018, Sister Jean became one of the most beloved characters of the entire tournament. Well, the Ramblers will be dancing once again after their Sunday win in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship over Drake, and the 102-year-old Sister Jean will be joining them.
Nobody was more excited about that than first-year head coach Drew Valentine.
Valentine was an assistant coach on that Final Four team and took over this season following Porter Moser’s departure to Oklahoma. So, he is well aware of the aura around Sister Jean, and when it was his turn to cut down the nets in St. Louis, he gave a special shoutout to Loyola Chicago’s biggest supporter.
🗣 “FOR SISTER JEAN!”@RamblersMBB HC Drew Valentine shows love to the Loyola Chicago legend ❤️
(via @fer8molina)pic.twitter.com/3tNIkVD5c0
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 6, 2022
He held up a piece of the net and shouted, “For Sister Jean!”
At 102 years old, health is always at the forefront when it comes to travel decisions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the NCAA Tournament’s closed bubble in Indianapolis presented obstacles, but Sister Jean did ultimately make the trip. This year, she is feeling healthy, according to The Chicago Tribune, and ready to experience another Loyola Chicago appearance in March Madness.
That’s great news because the tourney is always fun when Sister Jean is involved.
