The NCAA superfan and beloved nun was born on Aug. 21, 1919
NCAA legend Sister Jean continues to live her best life, as the March Madness icon celebrates her milestone 105th birthday!
After Loyola University Chicago, where Jean has served as the chaplain of the Ramblers for more than 20 years, kicked off the birthday celebrations, several sports leagues followed with their own social media posts.
“A #MarchMadness legend turns 105 today 🙌 Happy birthday, Sister Jean!” the NCAA March Madness posted on X, while the MLB added, “Sister Jean turns 105 years old today!”
The league also shared a video of “the legendary Cubs fan threw out a first pitch at Wrigley last year to celebrate her 104th birthday.”
Born on Aug. 21, 1919, the NCAA superfan and beloved nun told PEOPLE on her 103rd birthday that her best secret to a long and full life is simple: “I sleep well and hopefully I pray well.”
Back in 2018, then age 98, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt became a social media sensation after watching from the sidelines as the Ramblers beat the Miami Hurricanes (64–62) in a stunning upset.
Sister Jean had waited 33 years to see her team win a game in the NCAA Tournament before the upset. Players have even thought of her as another coach, as she often gives tips on how to deal with the other team.
During an appearance on Good Morning America at the time, Sister Jean spoke out about her newfound fame and how faith plays a huge role in her support for the team. She says she prays with the team before their games.
“I say a prayer, but sometimes there’s a little more than talking to God in the prayer … We wanna be sure that, when the buzzer goes off, the numbers indicate that we get the big W,” Sister Jean told the hosts. “I pray for the other team, perhaps not as hard.”
In 2022, she released her memoir, Wake Up with Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years. Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at the time, she said, “The title of the book is Wake Up with Purpose and that’s what I do every morning. Even though I’m 103 right now, I’m enjoying life.”
She added that waking up with purpose means “that I actually have a purpose in everything I do every day,” which she credits to her relationship with God.
“The first prayer I say in the morning is, ‘thank God for getting me to this day and let me do everything for your honor and glory.’ So that to me is the big purpose and if I can direct myself to God through the course of the day then I’m very happy about it,” she said.
