Ryan's parents are Alaine and Jack Shane. He has an older brother, Justin, who also played on the Virginia tennis team, and a younger brother named Zachary. In the summer months growing up Ryan's family would vacation to Franklin, New Hampshire; where there was a family tennis court that got good use from the Shane brothers. Ryan was part of a Fairfax, Virginia tennis club that also included future Virginia tennis players, Michael Shabaz and Treat Huey.[2] Shane attended J. E. B. Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia and was a blue-chip recruit coming out of high school.
As a freshman, Shane was on a Virginia team that went undefeated and won the NCAA Championship. The championship was the first for both Virginia as well the ACC.
Following his sophomore season, Shane was named second-team All-ACC. He was also announced as the ITA Atlantic Region Player to Watch.[3]
During his junior year, Shane helped lead Virginia to an NCAA Championship in the team tournament, playing at #1 singles and doubles. Six days later, Shane defeated Noah Rubin 3–6, 7–6 (7–4), 6–1, to capture the NCAA Men's Singles title. He is the second Virginia player to win the singles tournament, after Somdev Devvarman did so in 2007 and 2008.[4] Shane was named first-team All-ACC following a season where he posted a 27–8 record in singles.[5]