Shea’s achievements on the field earned him a spot as the only NCAA Division III player selected to participate in the 1998 Hula Bowl. He was also selected to play in the 1997 Aztec Bowl as part of The American Football Coaches Association Division III All-Star Team.Today, Shea, who earned his degree in business administration, is a captain in the Ventura County Fire Department and is a member of the LA Heat Fire Fighter Charity Football Team. His father, Dan is a retired helicopter pilot for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.
Former SPHS punter/QB named to Cal Lutheran Hall of Fame
October 07, 2009
Sports
A Santa Paula High School alumnus Jeff Shea, the son of Dan and Carolyn Shea, was recently inducted into The California Lutheran University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was founded to honor, those who, either through participation, support or interest, have made outstanding contributions in the field of intercollegiate varsity athletics and who have helped to bring recognition, honor, distinction and excellence to California Lutheran University.Jeff Shea played football at CLU from 1994 to 1997 and is among the Kingsmen’s most accomplished punters. From 1990 through 1993 Shea was a quarterback and punter for Santa Paula. He was named to the All Frontier League team for two of those years. “I played with a great bunch of guys,” Shea said. “We had our ups and downs but it was just a positive experience.” Shea also played basketball and baseball at SPHS. Of the latest recognition, Shea said it was definitely an honor and privilege to be named to the Hall of Fame.He holds the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division III record for the highest punt average for a career at 43.4 yards per punt with 183 punts for 7,939 total yards.Shea is among a select group of only five NCAA Division III college football players who have been named First Team All-American three times and was the first three-time All-American punter in any NCAA division. He was also a three-time All Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team selection (1995-97) and was named to the Second Team in 1994.Prior to the 1996 and 1997 seasons, both The Sporting News and Street & Smith’s College Football named Shea as a Pre-Season All-American. Following the 1997 season, he was named CLU Special Teams MVP, CLU Male Athlete of the Year and a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete.