Playing football at Stanford University from 1924 to 1926, he was a two-time All-American selection.

Shipkey served as head football coach at Arizona State Teachers College at Tempe—now known as Arizona State University—from 1930 to 1932, the University of New Mexico from 1937 to 1941, and the University of Montana from 1949 to 1951.

He was also the head basketball coach at Arizona State from 1930 to 1933, tallying a mark of 32–30.

Shipkey played end for Stanford under Pop Warner, and was an All-American in 1925 and 1926.

Shipkey died on July 18, 1978, in Placentia, California, after suffering from Parkinson's disease.