I think there are a lot of contributing factors out there.

1.) She's an alum and I believe with strong feelings for her alma mater. It was no big suprise that Deb would have liked one of her player/coaches to take over for her (Shelton, Carr, Petrie, etc.).

2.) I don't believe she was forced out at UVa, but do believe she was feeling the pressure to win this past year and they struggled a little in a year they (the admin.) thought they should contend.

The old saying holds true, it's easier to find a job when you already have a job. I think she would have been worried next year if things didn't go well. With an opportunity like W&M in front of her, why chance it when it probably was her next best job.

3.) Funding at W&M was close to full, if not full. As it goes in most new hirings, the things the previous coach was fighting for and never got, usually fall on the new coach during negotiations, so who's to say that the new hiring didn't improve W&M's funding situation as well.

4.) For those out there who think that she may have left UVa because coaching would be less stressful and time consuming at W&M, thus helping her spend more time with her family - I think they are nuts.

Anyone who thinks coaching at a "lower level" or "lower profile" DI school is less work and time consuming is nuts. Coaches worth their salt aren't working less at these programs than the higher profile schools. In fact, one could argue that the coaches working at smaller schools or "lower profile" schools may in fact be working harder or longer.

There are basic things that every program has to do and you could make an arguement that the bigger schools have it easier in this regard. The smaller schools may only have 1 full time assistant while the bigger programs have 2 assistants, a Director of Volleyball Ops., perhaps administrative assistants, volunteers, video personnel, etc, etc.

In the end, there may be a number of reasons Shelton left UVa, but working less or not having to coach as much wouldn't be one of them.