Briar Cliff University

Joe Shanks was a member of Briar Cliff's first intercollegiate baseball team in 1979. He became Briar Cliff's first baseball NAIA All-American honorable mention in 1980. The second basemen was voted the teams most valuable player that same season after leading the team in batting (.435), hits(73), runs (50), at bats (168), triples (4), RBI (41) and stolen bases (18). Shanks earned all-NAIA District 15 and all-NAIA Area 4 honors as a senior.

Shanks was an assistant baseball coach at Briar Cliff from 1983-1985.