When the 2018-19 school year begins, the Notre Dame athletic department will be under the new leadership of Jason Shea.
Shea was announced as the heir apparent to longtime Athletic Director Tom Marcucci, who will retire after this school year. Shea will assume his duties as Athletic Director on July 1.
Shea has served as Assistant Athletic Director for the last four years as well as head basketball coach since 2014.
“It’s a great honor and responsibility to be the next Athletic Director at Notre Dame. I am thankful to Robert Curis, and the rest of the administration for this great opportunity. I’m excited to take on my new role and committed to helping our coaches and athletes continue the successful tradition of athletics at Notre Dame,” he said.
“I have the utmost confidence in Jason Shea as the next Athletic Director,” said retiring Athletic Director Tom Marcucci. “He is a teacher and a coach with energy, enthusiasm, and a genuine love for Notre Dame. He has the respect of our coaches and athletes and knows the challenges of running an Athletic Program in 2018. I know the athletic program will continue to grow under Jason’s leadership and the leadership of our outstanding coaching staff.”
“I value Jason’s professional experience and his passion for Notre Dame, and the Holy Cross mission,” said Notre Dame President Robert Curis. ”I look forward to working with him to continue the growth and development of the rich traditions of the Notre Dame athletics program.”
Shea, who has taught in the Social Studies and Business Departments since returning to Notre Dame, has led the Notre Dame basketball team to an 85-36 mark in his first five seasons as head coach. This includes a perfect 20-0 regular season in 2016-17 when the Green Knights climbed to the top spot in the GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register poll for the first time in school history. Coach Shea has guided the team to the state tournament each season and has won 17 or more games in each of the past three seasons. He was named the SCC OrthoNow and New Haven Tap-Off Club Coach of the Year for the 2016-17 season
Shea captained the 1996-97 Notre Dame to a 17-8 record. He averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds and achieved New Haven Register all-Area status while being named to the Connecticut Post Super 15 as well as being named an honorable mention all-State player.
He matriculated at Connecticut College where he played for Glenn Miller, former Brown and Penn head coach and UConn assistant coach, who is currently the Associate Director of Men’s Basketball at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford. At Connecticut College, Shea served as captain his senior year and his teams went a combined 89-16 in his career, reaching both the Elite 8 and Final 4 on the NCAA Division III level.
As a sophomore, Shea was a key contributor to the most successful Connecticut College team in school history. They won their first 27 games, spending 10 weeks as the top-ranked team in Division III, before falling in the national semifinals to Hampton-Sydney. They would win the consolation game and finish the season with a 28-1 record. That team is in both the Connecticut College and New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shea has a history degree from Connecticut College and a master’s degree in Educational Technology from the University of Phoenix.