This Mesa native graduated from Mountain View High School and attended MCC from 1993 through 1996. He played for the Thunderbirds starting in 1994 chalking up accolades as a First Team All American and 1996 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
Starting in 2001, Shea played major league baseball for seven years which included a stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was the 10th round, draft choice of the Boston Red Sox in 1996 and was Player of the Year three of his five years in major league baseball. He played in the All-Star games in 2002 and 2005.
In the prime of his athletic career, he left to put his family first. In 2008 he founded the Against All Odds Foundation with a mission to assist athletes of all ages with life transitions through preparation, inspiration, and education as well as to inspire children from many backgrounds through baseball. He is a national motivational speaker and trains baseball coach leaders. In 2004 he donated “The Shea Hillenbrand Field” to the Boys and Girls Clubs in Chandler. Two years ago he founded a baseball academy in Mexico.
For a link to the full video of the ceremony, please visit MCC Hall of Fame 2018.