Up Next

Nevada head coach Eric Musselman’s daughter Mariah interviews her dad ahead. Mariah has become a viral sensation during this year’s March Madness. Via NCAA Twitter
2 min read

Sweet 16 supermatchup: Mariah Musselman to interview Sister Jean

Nevada coach’s daughter and Loyola Chicago’s team chaplain are the media darlings of tournament

Jerry Bembry @Jerrybembry
Topics:
Nevada Wolf Pack Sister Jean Men's College Basketball Men's NCAA Tournament

Up Next From Sports

    12:37 PMAs the NCAA tournament resumes with the Sweet 16, the nation is looking forward to one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament.

    Thursday night, Mariah Musselman, 8, the daughter of Nevada coach Eric Musselman, interviews Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the 98-year-old team chaplain for Loyola Chicago, before the team’s South Region game in Atlanta.

    The made-for-TV meeting — CBS set it up — brings together the two media darlings of this year’s March Madness.

    Sister Jean’s become such a celebrity watching Loyola’s two nail-biting games from the sidelines that former President Barack Obama gave her a shoutout last week.

    And Mariah Musselman, the daughter of Musselman and former ESPN anchor Danyelle Sargent-Musselman, has proved she has a bright future in journalism with her interview of her dad.

    Eric Musselman, who has demonstrated a personality of his own with his postgame locker room celebrations, is happy for his daughter’s exposure.

    “I just hope my daughter can make as much money as my wife did in broadcasting,” he said. “It would really, really be great for our family if she could start on her broadcasting career as soon as possible.”

    Mariah, who wore wolf ears during Nevada’s upset of Cincinnati on Sunday, showed a tremendous amount of poise and charisma during the interview with her father. She said she wants to follow in her mom’s footsteps and be a sports anchor or an actress.

    “It was a good start,” Eric Musselman said, beaming, as he discussed being grilled by his daughter in front of a national television audience. “It was a big, big moment for her. It was a big moment for our family.”

    Jerry Bembry is a senior writer at Andscape. His bucket list items include being serenaded by Lizz Wright and watching the Knicks play a MEANINGFUL NBA game in June.