The Upper Iowa University Athletics Department announces that
Tom Shea will transition to a new position with the Peacock football program through the end of the 2020 season. Shea will be the special advisor to the head football coach beginning immediately.
"I have the utmost respect for
Tom Shea," said Vice President for Athletics
Rick Hartzell. "Not only is he a good football coach, he is a tremendous person. We will do everything we can to make sure this coming year is a great one for him and at the same time do our best to move this football program forward to be even more competitive in the NSIC."
Upper Iowa and Hartzell will fill the vacant head coaching position as quickly as possible from within the current football staff and on an interim basis through at least the end of the 2020 season.
Shea became Upper Iowa's 15
th head football coach in January 2009 and has spent the last 11 seasons at the helm of the program. He also spent three years at Upper Iowa earlier in his career as the program's defensive coordinator from 2004-07.
Shea's new responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Serving as a consultant and mentor to the head coach.
- Overseeing the academic performance of football student-athletes, team fundraising activities and alumni relations.
- Assisting the head coach in planning and organizing summer camp, preseason camp, practice schedules, game preparation, travel and budget.
- Advising the head coach on game day decisions and game management.
The Peacocks posted four winning seasons under Shea in a five-year span from 2013 to 2017 registering a win-loss mark of 27-28 during those five years. The successful run included three consecutive winning seasons from 2013-15, something that had not occurred at Upper Iowa since 1964, more than 50 years prior. The Peacocks went 6-5 in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
Over the last 11 years, Shea has led the team to 42 victories in 121 games, as well as recruited and coached three all-Americans, 14 all-region performers, 70 All-NSIC selections and a Northern Sun Conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
