TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama freshman Kelsi Dunne has been named Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week after throwing two complete-game shutouts for the top-ranked Crimson Tide softball team last week.

The native of Port Orange, Fla., allowed just three hits in her two starts, striking out 20 batters in 13 innings. Opposing batters hit just .075 against her on the week.

Dunne was the winning pitcher in two of Alabama's five straight shutout victories against SEC opponents last week. She struck out 10 in a two-hitter at Arkansas and added 10 more strikeouts in a one-hit victory over South Carolina on Saturday at the Alabama Softball Complex.

Dunne hasn't allowed a run in her last 14 innings in the pitching circle. She is now 18-3 with a 1.36 earned-run average with 192 strikeouts in 138 2/3 innings of work.

UA's Ross Wilson named SEC Freshman of the Week TUSCALOOSA _ University of Alabama second baseman Ross Wilson was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week on Monday after leading the Crimson Tide to an SEC Western Division series win over long-time rival Mississippi State over the weekend at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Wilson, a Hoover native, was Alabama's leading hitter against Mississippi State, going 4-for-9 (.444) with three home runs and five RBIs. He also scored five runs, added four walks and posted a 1.444 slugging percentage with 13 total bases in the series.

Wilson tied the Alabama single-game record with two home runs in the seventh inning in the series opener against MSU. He led off the inning with a solo home run off Forest Moore and capped the inning with a two-run home run off former Hoover High School teammate Greg Houston. Wilson hit a game-winning two-run home run in the seventh inning in the series finale as Alabama claimed the series with a 4-3 win.

'It was a must-win,' Alabama head coach Jim Wells said. 'We did not seem to respond well to that and then Wilson hits a two-run homer. He is a good player and very confident in his ability. He is only going to get better in the future.'

For the season, Wilson is hitting .251 (42-for-167) with six home runs and 28 RBIs in 40 starts.

UA's Michael Thompson to play in Palmer Cup TUSCALOOSA | For the last three weeks, Michael Thompson has held a secret, no easy task given the magnitude. After all, it involves a career goal he has worked toward and hoped for a long time.

On Monday his secret was revealed. The senior from Tucson, Ariz., was one of eight men selected to the U.S. team for the 2008 Palmer Cup. The team was announced on Monday by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

'I found out probably three weeks ago,' said Thompson, a University of Alabama senior. 'It was pretty hard to keep quiet because it was very exciting.'

He will be joined on the team by Kevin Chappell of UCLA, Louisville's Derek Falhauer, Rickie Fowler of Oklahoma State, San Diego's Aaron Goldberg, Chesson Hadley of Georgia Tech, Florida's Billy Horschel and Adam Mitchell of Georgia. The U.S. will be coached by Stanford's Conrad Ray.

The Palmer Cup is an annual Ryder Cup-style competition where the top collegiate players from the U.S. compete against their counterparts from Europe. The 2008 event will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, at the Glasgow Golf Club Gailes Links on June 26-27.

Thompson is the first Crimson Tide golfer to be chosen to the U.S. Palmer Cup team. Alabama has, however, produced two men on the European Palmer Cup teams. Allan MacDonald played for Europe in 1997 and Lars Brovold for Europe in 2004. Former Tide golf coach Dick Spybey was the U.S. Palmer Cup team manager in 1997 and served as tournament director in 1998.

'It means a lot that I'm going to be playing for my country,' said Thompson who won the Southeastern Conference's individual championship on Sunday, just barely a week after he competed as an amateur at the 2008 Masters Tournament. 'It's an extreme honor to do that in athletics and in sports altogether. I missed out narrowly last year and I'm just glad I got a second chance this time around.

'I'm really, really looking forward to it. Plus, it's in Scotland, and I've never been there.'

Thompson shot a 65 Sunday to lead Alabama to the 2008 SEC team championship, the Crimson Tide's first league men's golf title in 29 years and only its second ever. He is averaging 70 after 24 rounds in eight collegiate tournaments this season. He's finished under par in six of the eight tournaments he's competed and he has finished among the top 10 individuals in all eight events.

UA tennis player Godwin earns community honor TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama women's tennis player Shelley Godwin has been named to the SEC Community Service Team, the league office announced. The Community Service team recognizes athletes who give back to their communities in superior service efforts.

'Shelley has acted as an incredible ambassador for The University of Alabama,' said Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz. 'She takes tremendous pride in reaching out and contributing to the Tuscaloosa community. Shelley's parents have always advocated the importance of giving something back. Shelley has done a nice job of embracing this opportunity and representing our Alabama women's tennis team well.'

Godwin, a junior from Birmingham, contributed significant time to the community this semester. Godwin spent many hours at University Place Elementary School during Red Ribbon week teaching children the importance of reading and literacy through Dr. Seuss. As a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Godwin participated in Project Angel Tree and the Halloween Extravaganza and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) leadership team. Last summer, Godwin led a team in the Walk to D-Feet ALS to raise funds for ALS patients and their families.

The honor is the first for Godwin and the second for the Tide this season.