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She’s back! NCAA gives OK to Sister Jean to accompany Loyola Chicago to NCAA Tournament
Published:
An NCAA Tournament legend will be returning for March Madness.
According to Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, Sister Jean, the team chaplain for Loyola Chicago, has been granted permission to travel to Indianapolis with the Ramblers for their tournament appearance. There had been some questions over whether or not she’d be allowed to attend because of the association’s COVID-19 policies.
Sister Jean, 101, was beloved by fans during Loyola Chicago’s improbably Final Four run in 2018. The Ramblers return to the NCAA Tournament this year after finishing 24-4 and winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Loyola confirms Sister Jean is ready to cut down some nets. The 101-year-old team chaplain and sports icon is headed to Indy for the NCAA Tournament. pic.twitter.com/T7IYmh38Y0
— Shannon Ryan (@SRyanAthletic) March 16, 2021
Before Selection Sunday, Sister Jean spoke with Ryan about the opportunity to travel with the team to Indy.
“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.’”
The Ramblers earned a No. 8 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. They will play Georgia Tech in the first game.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB