Page 284 – Flat Hat News

State tables bill

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February 5, 2008

__Act would have forced state schools to release internal e-mails__

p. A Virginia Assembly bill that would force state college and university presidents to release their “working papers and correspondence” upon request has been delayed until next year, according to last Monday’s article in The Daily Press.

p. The article quoted Delegate Steven Landes (R-Weyers Cave), who said he sponsored House Bill 313 at the call of College alumni.

p. The bill would be particularly resonant on the College campus because of recent controversy surrounding President Gene Nichol and the revocation of a $12 million donation to the school by an alumnus.

p. Late last year, Nichol rejected requests from news media outlets and some alumni for copies of e-mail correspondence with former College President Timothy J. Sullivan that would have been pertinent to the success of a $500 million fundraising campaign.

p. Landes proposed the bill when he found that state legislators were also unable to see presidential correspondence from state-funded institutes of higher education. Last month, he revoked the bill because it was too broad.

p. One of his primary concerns was that the bill would not protect issues of confidential student matters and might result in the accidental release of such private information.

Greek Life and Academics By the Numbers

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February 5, 2008

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College sees more apps

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February 5, 2008

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__6.2 percent more students apply to the College than in 2007__

p. The College has received more undergraduate applications than ever — more than 11,500, resulting in a 6.2 percent increase from last year.

p. Fifteen percent more in-state students submitted applications.
These numbers were previously reported but have now been officially released by the College as of Feb. 1.

p. This is the third year in a row that the College has topped its previous year’s numbers. Last year the College received 10,850 — a 1.7 percent increase from 2006, which saw 10,670 applications.

p. Applications from black, Asian, Hispanic and American Indian students rose 16.4 percent this year. Within this group, there was an 18.8 percent increase in applications from in-state students and 14 percent increase from out-of-state students.

p. Dean of Admissions Henry Broaddus estimated in a Jan. 27 Flat Hat article that 11,400 applied to the College, which would result in a 5 percent increase from last year.

p. Though the application deadline had passed, definite figures were unknown, because not all of the applications had processed through the admissions office yet.

p. Admissions officers and staff will now read applications over the next two months and send letters to students by April 1.

p. They will choose more than 3,000 from these applications to form a Class of 2012 of about 1,350.

p. The number of early decision applicants increased this year to 917 from 914 last year. This increase in applicants may be a result of U.Va.’s decision to drop its early admissions program.

p. Of the College’s applicants, 467 were admitted.

Under the Microscope: U.S. Spy Satellite may fall out of orbit

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February 5, 2008

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A United States spy satellite has lost power and could hit the Earth in late February or early March.

p. Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the classified information concerning the satellite, have stated that the satellite can no longer be controlled and may contain hazardous materials. Its exact landing point has not been determined.

p. “Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation. Numerous satellites over the years have come out of orbit and fallen harmlessly. We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause,” Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said in an Associated Press interview.

p. One of the biggest concerns with the satellite is the potential exposure of U.S. intelligence secrets. John Pike, a defense and intelligence expert and director of GlobalSecurity.org, stated that spy satellites are usually disposed of in the ocean so that no one can access the satellite after it re-enters.

p. The rocket fuel, hydrazine, is also a concern for officials because of its toxic nature. A large amount of fuel may remain because the satellite was not in a controlled orbit for long.

p. Pike believes that it is unlikely the fuel is radioactive but stated that it could contain toxins such as beryllium, which could be harmful to humans and animals if they are exposed.

p. According to Jeffery Richelson, a senior fellow at the National Security Archive, the satellite is likely a photo reconnaissance satellite that spies on enemy governments, terror groups, nuclear sites and militant training camps. It is also used to survey damage from natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes.

p. A New York Times article cited specialists as having reason to believe that the satellite is an experimental image device by Lockheed Martin and was launched from Vandenburg Air Force Base in California in Dec. 2006.

p. In 1979, the 78-ton space station Skylab plummeted into a remote section of the Indian Ocean near western Australia. It is the largest uncontrolled re-entry of a NASA spacecraft to date.

p. Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, stated that it is fairly common for satellites to drop out of orbit and re-enter Earth’s atmosphere; he suggested that any debris remaining after the fiery descent generally lands on remote parts of the planet.

p. The first U.S. spy satellite was ordered on Mar. 16, 1955, to spy on countries that may threaten to wage war on the United States. Spy satellites are generally used for missions such as taking high-resolution photographs, communications eavesdropping, covert communication, enforcement of nuclear test bans and detection of missile launches.

p. Information gained from spy satellite missions is classified; the majority of available information from these missions exists from those conducted prior to 1972. Some photographs have been declassified or leaked — such is the case of a KH-11 photograph of a shipyard in the Black Sea that was leaked to Jane’s Defence Weekly in 1985.

p. As of Jan. 22, the satellite, which Pike speculated to be around the size of a small bus, is in a circular orbit about 275 kilometers above Earth. McDowell stated that this orbit is rapidly decaying and it is only a matter of weeks before the satellite falls completely out of orbit and begins descending toward Earth.

Sex worker strips down stereotypes

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February 5, 2008

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Annie Oakley of sex worker fame — or infamy — doesn’t much resemble her namesake, a folktale-worthy sharpshooter from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show.

p. The former is a colorful woman who began her work in the sex industry as a stripper. She’s also worked in peep shows, brothels and independent escorting. The latter was a woman who made her fortune stupefying spectators with her dead-on aim and novelty gun show.

p. In truth, the current Oakley said she regrets the decision that she made when she began stripping.

p. “To be honest, I don’t really like that name and I wish I didn’t have it. I was backstage waiting to go on, and this guy says, ‘What’s your name?’ I didn’t know, and he suggested Annie Oakley, and I went along with it.”

p. It’s not that Oakley doesn’t respect the legendary performer.

p. “She was somebody in her time who was a total anomaly,” she said. “She did what women didn’t do, so in that respect, I like the name. But it also implies this Wild West aesthetic that I don’t really like — although I am an excellent marksman.”

p. The name Annie Oakley has been revitalized recently, at least on college campuses across the country. She is the brains behind the much-discussed Sex Workers’ Art Show, which made its third annual appearance in the University Center last night.

p. Oakley describes herself as the founder, director, road manager, emcee and den mother of the troupe of sex workers that performs a variety show of spoken word, burlesque and even some musical theater. The idea for the show was born 11 years ago in Olympia, Wash. as a result of a disconnect she found between the stripping community and the social justice activism community, for which she also worked.

p. “I told the people I worked with in social activism that I was working as a stripper and people were telling me it was anti-feminist and against what they were working for,” Oakley said. “It made me angry because it reeked of not only sexism, but classism.”

p. Oakley decided to create the art show to dispel the misconceptions that she was witnessing among her social activist peers.

p. “I didn’t have any idea of what I was doing; I didn’t know many people in the sex industry outside of those I worked with and the internet was not as prevalent. But the response was overwhelming.”

p. Since then, the show has grown from a yearly event to a touring ensemble that represents many arenas of the sex industry. Oakley said she wants the tour to show a side of the people who work in the sex industry that most people don’t even consider.

p. “Our show aims to present a picture of the way sex workers experience work and life,” she said. “We want to humanize them for people, because it’s only once we are considered as humans — not as stereotypes like nymphomaniacs or people who can’t control themselves — it’s only from that point that people can take us seriously.”

p. Of course, Oakley is used to the criticism, even the vitriolic hatred, that follows her. She’s used to people arguing against her cause despite never having seen the show. What’s more, she doesn’t care.

p. “I’m not responsible for the intellectual growth of the country,” she said. “If people want to critique without seeing our show, that’s just not a good intellectual approach and, honestly, I have no respect for people like that.”

p. More important, according to Oakley, are the people who come to the show whose understanding of the industry changes.

p. “People aren’t necessarily open-minded when they come, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been approached after shows by people whose views have been completely readjusted,” she said. “I know the show has that impact for people.”

p. The show holds approximately two-thirds of its performances on college campuses. Although Oakley said she sees protest almost everywhere she goes, one night last year stood out in her mind.

p. The scene was Virginia Commonwealth University. That night, the film “Monster” was shown on campus. Across campus that same night, Oakley and her Sex Workers’ Art Show performed to a sold out crowd.

p. There is a scene in “Monster” in which the main character, a prostitute, is brutally raped with a pole while tied up in the back seat of a car. It is, without a doubt, a graphic depiction of sexual violence.

p. Yet, in the days following, the school received many complaints protesting only the art show.

p. “People’s complaints aren’t really about the content,” Oakley said. “They object to the concept. I wish more people would just come out and say, ‘Sex workers don’t deserve a voice.’”

p. To Oakley, the VCU incident illustrates perfectly the fight she and her sex worker colleagues are up against.

p. “What that night said, basically, was that a prostitute being raped is fine, but a prostitute speaking her mind is morally wrong. And that disgusts me.”

Swemming through time

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February 5, 2008

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__The Special Collections Research Center stores various artifacts from the College’s storied history__

p. When tourists consider a library a point of interest, chances are that the library has more than just books.

p. The Special Collections Research Center at Earl Gregg Swem Library has four collections, including rare books, manuscripts, the university archives and the Warren E. Burger collection. There are over 35,000 rare books, 750 manuscript collections and 550 University archives collections. University Archivist Amy Schindler knows all about these treasures.

p. “There are so many things that people don’t realize we have,” Schindler said. “One of my favorite things that I like to pull out is a letter from George Washington, writing to a tutor, where he gives a recommendation about the College.” Ironically, Washington’s recommendation was that the tutor stay away from out lovely College; however, that was before he became chancellor.

p. Swem also happens to house the country’s second-largest collection of dog books, the largest belonging to the American Kennel Club. The Chapin and Horowitz Collection includes an edition of the first dog book written in English, classified as a rare book, meaning that fewer than 100 institutions have a copy. The collection is one of the primary locations in Swem shown to tourists who visit.

p. “Sometimes we [the staff] like to play a game at the front desk where we guess what the tourists will be interested in. We’ll say, ‘Oh, they look like a dog family,’” Schindler said.

p. Other rare books include a first edition copy of the Book of Mormon and a set of Diderot encyclopedias from the 1700s.
The university archives includes a collection of vintage T-shirts, mostly from the past 50 years, which feature subjects such as sports and Swem itself. Schindler expressed an interest in adding to this collection and increasing the number of student artifacts.
“I’d like to work more with student organizations that are active on campus to get material from them,” Schindler said. “Last November, we got the records of [the] Gentlemen of the College. From the 1990s to the present we have recordings, flyers [and] props.”

p. Schindler also recently received a Sigma Pi paddle from the 1940s. “The paddle is nice because it shows the student life. It’s being restored because the letters and crest are peeling off, but it’s great because it was signed by the brothers.”

p. According to the Special Collections website, “There is a gavel made from wood taken from the Wren Building prior to restoration, and a piece of the live oak that stood for centuries near the entrance to the College on Jamestown Road.” There are pieces of Lord Botetourt’s coffin and part of the 1717 bell from the Wren Building. Also in the collection are two 60-pound boundary stones, which were used when the College’s grounds were first being determine, as well as letters written by alumni like Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler and Chief Justice John Marshall.

p. One of the most memorable displays that the College displays in the Special Collections Research Center is the world’s-largest collection of “’Twas Night Before Christmas” books. A former library director donated this collection. Most of the collections have been donated by alumni, students and professors.

p. “We have friends, usually alumni, that will search eBay looking for things to give us,” Schindler said.

p. The center receives limited funding, but donors often reserve such money for specific uses, such as buying colonial material, or memorabilia relating to King William and Queen Mary. Despite the limited budget, the center owns enough material to require off-site storage. It is required by law to keep College records and annually receives an average of 12 boxes of formal papers from the president. It also keeps student health records for 10 years after the students leave.

p. The papers of the late Chief Justice Burger — who was chancellor from 1986 to 1993 — comprise the largest section of the Special Collections Research Center. A replica of his retirement office behind a glass wall in the Research Center displays items such as his personal satchel and chancellor robes. To the right of the desk stands a picture of Burger with current College Chancellor Sandra Day O’Connor. Also included in the replica is a sketch done by the former chief justice, as well as a replication of a bust that he sculpted.

p. Burger’s professional and personal papers will be kept private for the next 20 to 25 years from everyone except Burger archivists.

p. “It’s traditional for chief justices to retire and give their papers to an archive and ask for them to be closed for a certain period of time. Often, it’s until everyone on the court he served with has retired, or after his children have died. He was a very private man; his family was private,” Schindler said.

p. Burger’s family visits the College at least once a year.
The late chief justice’s papers are stored below the ground floor, under the Special Collection Research Center stacks. The rows of shelving hold papers in acid-free folders and archival boxes, which are carefully stored at a temperature of 68 degrees with a humidity of 35 to 45 percent. One must enter a code in order to visit the storage center. Some sections require a key, and multiple alarms connect to the police department. Among other important and expensive artifacts in the collection is a fraternity pin insured at $10,000, which illustrates the necessity for so many levels of security.

p. Students wishing to use the Special Collections Resource Center must first fill out a registration form and turn in their student ID. The staff supervises readers in a special reading room. Students are not allowed to bring any personal items with them, including food and drink. Gloves are frequently required for handling books, and, in some cases, pages must be turned by a member of the staff. Books cannot leave the reading room, and only the staff is permitted to remove a book from its shelf.

p. With all of the priceless items in the Special Collections Resource Center, it’s easy to understand all of the safety precautions. After all, once the original copy of the College’s charter is gone — it’s gone.

Entertaining North America, one deranged puppet at a time

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February 5, 2008

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I am driving down the highway in a car that reeks of mildew and regret. Puppet hair blankets my body, and in the back seat my coworker, the only person I have talked to all day, sobs uncontrollably. I try to look through my rearview mirror, but mountains of disembodied puppet heads impede my view. As I merge into traffic, I silently pray to God that a car will hit mine and end it all in a torrent of fire, metal and prosthetic dog hair. I work at a puppet factory, and I hate my life.

p. We sell five different puppets at the puppet factory. Their names, in order of popularity, are Danny the Dog, Mrs. Moo the Cow, Franklin the Frog, Patricia the Gorilla and Skeeter the Cat. The products bug me. Each puppet is a floating head and comes attached to an illustrated book that provides the corresponding body. Since the body is illustrated, it is much smaller than the puppet head. This makes every puppet look deformed — like someone with a brain tumor or Rocky from the movie “The Mask.”
My boss explains the value of the removable head as she tears the puppet from the book, where it is Velcro-ed.

p. “Once kids get tired of reading the book, they can decapitate the puppet and play with him,” my boss says, shoving her hand up the puppet’s butthole.

p. “Don’t you want to play with me, James?” the puppet squeaks. “Don’t I look like the best present ever?” I gaze into the puppet’s squished fabric face and consider tearing its nose off.

p. “I have taken shits that looked cuter than you,” I want to say. But I control myself and instead nod absently. I tell my boss what a great idea these puppets were, and then I return to my cubicle, where I play solitaire for an hour.

p. Every day I arrive at the office and see what orders have arrived. If nothing needs to be shipped or I had a particularly troubling night of puppet-related night terrors, then I might stay at the office and sort mail. However, if the workload is heavy and I feel psychologically ready, then I drive 10 minutes to the warehouse. Inside, boxes filled with puppets stacked 20 feet high scrape the ceiling. At some point in my life, I will open every single one of these boxes to inspect the toys inside. Every time I open a box, I know that six glossy eyes will stare up at me.

p. My most important job is trimming the fur around these puppets’ eyes. The puppets were poorly manufactured overseas, and they suffer from numerous defects. Aside from hairy eyes, some puppets have bits of crusty fur, which I pull out with my fingers. Other puppets have holes where their eyes should be. One time my coworker, Jessie, found a puppet that was constructed inside out and laughed hysterically.

p. “It’s fine,” she explained. “I just found this puppet turned inside out. For a second I had thought I might be losing my mind.”
I laughed, too. Despite the lunacy of her statement, what she said made sense. Being around puppets for too long should be added to the short list of things that evoke madness.

p. To stave off insanity, my coworker and I talk as we work. Sometimes we talk about movies or the last game of Dungeons and Dragons that she played with her boyfriend.

p. “You just don’t understand,” she yelled at me one time. “I could have been something great if I had only applied myself during high school.” She held the scissors we use to trim puppets in one hand and pointed the blade inches from my heart. We had previously been discussing my acceptance into college.

p. “It’s okay,” I said. “You can still be a lawyer if you want.” I comforted her with a pat on the shoulder, and then we returned to work. She trimmed the puppets as I attached cardboard tags to their ears.

p. Sometimes, I wonder why I still ship puppets for the puppet factory. It certainly is not the pay, nor my coworkers, though I did like Jessie until she left to work at her mom’s office. Her mom runs a sort of Make-a-Wish Foundation for old people, where she grants final wishes to old ladies. Jessie’s mom helps the old people meet celebrities and takes them to glamorous dinner cruises. I toyed with the idea of asking Jessie for a job, but I feel too loyal to the puppet factory. If it weren’t for me, children across the United States, Mexico and Canada would never enjoy our puppet line. Or, as my boss likes to call them, our puppet family.

p. __James Damon is a Confusion Corner columnist. His life is a black abyss. __

Shooting past Seahawks (Men’s Basketball: Tribe 70, UNCW 66)

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February 5, 2008

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__Tribe hits 13 three-pointers in win; team now tied for second in CAA with Mason__

An offensive rebound saved the Tribe.

p. With the score tied at 63-63 with 1:43 remaining, junior forward Peter Stein put back junior forward Chris Darnell’s missed free throw to give the College (12-9, 8-3 CAA) the lead and a path to a 70-66 victory over the University of North Carolina — Wilmington (14-9, 7-4).

p. “All I can say about our guys right now is that they’re winners,” Head Coach Tony Shaver said. “They make big plays when they have to make big plays.”

p. The Tribe trailed by as many as 10 in the first half and seven in the second, before a 16-2 run spanning five minutes and 19 seconds gave the College its largest lead of the game at seven with 6:01 left. During the run, the Tribe netted a trio of three-pointers and held the Seahawks to one Vladimir Kuljanin lay-in, while forcing UNCW into four of its 16 turnovers.

p. Prior to the College’s scoring spurt, the Tribe cut its deficit to one three times and took the lead twice after trimming the margin to one. However, the College was never able to push its lead into two-possession territory.

p. In a game during which the Tribe attempted a school-record 39 three-pointers — making 13 — and faced a negative 18 rebounding margin, the College protected the ball and shared the ball as well, committing only five turnovers and finishing with 20 assists. While the Tribe rarely turned it over, the Seahawks did, costing UNCW crucial possessions — none more so than with 1:22 remaining.

p. “For the first time in the last three weeks, we didn’t make the tough little plays that it takes to win a close game on the road,” UNCW Head Coach Benny Moss said.

p. After Stein grabbed Darnell’s miss and scored, the Seahawks’ Kuljanin rushed a pass to T.J. Carter, and the ball sailed out of bounds into the UNCW bench. The turnover gave the College an opportunity to extend its lead and senior forward Laimis Kisielius did just that when he buried a three-pointer from the top of the key to put the Tribe up 68-63 with just 0:54 remaining. Carter answered with a trey of his own, cutting the College’s lead to two. And after sophomore guard David Schneider missed a contested layup, UNCW found itself in a possession to tie or take the lead.

p. Carter created space between himself and Schneider with a ball fake, but his three-pointer drew rim and Darnell snared the rebound. Darnell’s two made free throws with 7.6 seconds left sealed the Tribe’s eighth CAA victory, helping the College end the Seahawks’s five-game winning streak and keep pace with George Mason University for second place in the conference.

p. Kisielius and sophomore guard John Sexton paced the Tribe with 15 points a piece; Sexton’s 15 marked a career-high, as he went three of five from three-point range. Stein, Schneider and senior guard Nathan Mann each reached double figures as well.
The Tribe hosts Hofstra University tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kaplan Arena.

p. **Inside the game**
**Player of the Game:** Peter Stein. The junior forward did it all for the Tribe — 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, 2 assists and 1 block. His critical rebound and put-back of a missed free throw helped key the College’s victory.

p. **Turning Point:** Tribe takes seven-point lead. A 16-2 run brought the Tribe back from seven down to up seven at 59-52, giving the College its largest lead of the game and momentum heading down the stretch.

p. **Stat of the Game:** Assist-to-turnover ratio. The College protected the ball, committing only five turnovers, and shared the ball, dishing out 20 assists. The 4.0 assist-to-turnover ratio keyed the Tribe victory and neutralized its poor rebounding night.

Women’s Basketball: Tribe 53, James Madison 69 – Kaylor’s 19 points not enough vs. Dukes

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February 5, 2008

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What began as a competitive contest soon slipped out of the Tribe’s control, as the James Madison University Dukes dominated the College for a 69-53 victory.

p. Coming out of the first media timeout, freshman guard Katy Oblinger’s three-pointer gave the College an early 11-9 advantage. JMU answered back with a 9-1 run sparked by Tamera Young, who would finish the game with 17 points.

p. Senior forward Kyra Kaylor answered with a mid-range jumper, narrowing the deficit to 21-20 with 8:12 left in the half. The Dukes began to pull away as the Tribe failed to capitalize on a couple of good looks inside. JMU took advantage of their opponent’s cold spell, finishing the half with a 34-22 lead.

p. While the College forced 15 turnovers in the first half, its shooting was inconsistent as the team connected on only 26 percent of its shots.

p. “When you play a top-level team, you have to bring a higher level of intensity and a little more competitiveness, and I think we fell short, especially in the first half,” Head Coach Debbie Taylor said.

p. The second half began with both teams trading baskets before freshman guard Katherine DeHenzel’s three-pointer cut the deficit to eight in the first three minutes of play.

p. JMU quickly ended the Tribe’s run, scoring 12 of the next 15 points. The Dukes’ athleticism showed, as they appeared to penetrate through the College’s defense with ease, going up 51-34. They continued their push, extending their lead to 23 with 9:12 on the clock.

p. The Tribe fought back with sophomore center Tiffany Benson contributing six points and Kaylor four during a 10-1 run. But JMU found another gear and the Tribe could not answer back, never drawing within 14 points the rest of the game.

p. “We need to get better as a unit and get better with our chemistry,” Taylor said.

p. Kaylor led the Tribe with 19 points and two steals. The senior’s nine rebounds places her just five shy of the school’s career record. Senior forward Devin James had 15 points and seven steals, while Benson picked up a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.

p. The College is heading into a tough stretch during its next few games, as the team will face the top three teams in the conference during its next three contests. They are currently 10-11 overall and 4-5 in the CAA, good for sixth place.

p. The Tribe will travel to conference foe Towson University (15-5, 7-2) Thursday night to take on the Tigers at 7 p.m.

Returning home to replace a legend

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February 5, 2008

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__Shelton ’91 replaces her former coach as she returns to Tribe volleyball__

p. In the fall of 1990, Melissa Shelton ’91 concluded a superb Tribe volleyball career with an All-CAA tournament team selection and a CAA conference championship. Under legendary Head Coach Debbie Hill, the three-year Tribe starter earned four consecutive CAA titles, two trips to the National Invitational Volleyball Championships and a berth on the All-CAA team before graduating the following spring.

p. Seventeen years after her departure from Williamsburg, Shelton will return to the program she once captained, succeeding her former coach at the helm of Tribe volleyball. For Shelton, it is a moment that has been a long time in the making, and the coach relishes the chance to be back where she started at the College.

p. “I’m excited that the job has been kept in the family,” Shelton said. “I get to build on everything that Deb has established, not change it.”

p. Shelton arrives at a program that has grown since her time in Williamsburg, with better funding for both scholarships and facilities. However, the core philosophy of the squad has not changed, and that aspect is what made Shelton eager to return to the College.

p. “The team is still a tight-knit bunch who takes pride in its work ethic and loves to win,” she said.

p. The current squad will not be disappointed, as Shelton has experienced steady success since graduating. She took her first coaching job as an assistant at Arkansas State, where she helped the Indians earn their first-ever NCAA tournament bid in 1992. From there, she moved on to Clemson, taking the Tigers to the NCAA tournament in 1994 and 1995 before being hired as head coach by the University of Virginia.

p. At U.Va., Shelton transformed the Cavaliers into a national power, posting a 235-179 record while becoming the winningest coach in the history of the program. Accruing five 20-win seasons, Shelton took the Cavaliers to the NCAA tournament for their initial appearance in 1998, before matching that accomplishment a year later. Along the way, her players earned six honorable mention All-Americans and 26 All-ACC slots, while achieving a 100 percent graduation rate.

p. However, Shelton impishly admits that her time in Charlottesville was marred by one factor.

p. “I always felt a little like I was betraying the Tribe when I put on my Virginia gear,” she said.

p. Back in Williamsburg, that is a problem the coach will no longer have, as she goes about working toward the lofty goals she has for her alma mater.

p. Among her foremost objectives is to bring a slew of CAA titles to Kaplan Arena, while still preserving the high standard set by Hill, both on and off the court.

p. “I want to make sure I bring in young women who will represent the College and volleyball team well for the rest of their lives,” she said.

p. While Shelton has earned a vast amount of respect during her coaching career, she realizes that succeeding a strong and vibrant leader like Hill will be no easy task.

p. “As a player I had a lot of respect for Deb,” Shelton said. “She truly cared about us all and worked us hard.

p. “There will never be another Debbie Hill. The biggest challenge for me will be to keep the incredible team spirit of this program up while making the program mirror my coaching style.”

p. Despite Hill’s vast legacy, Shelton has already earned the respect of her new players and they are excited to begin playing for her.

p. “She seems dedicated to making every one of us better,” junior setter Kim Mount said. “I am confident that she will lead us to a very successful season.

p. “Our goal is to win CAAs. We know we have the players to do it and I think Melissa will help make it happen.”

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