DALLAS -- The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) has tabbed Zack Collins as its Junior Athlete of the Year following his star performance for the gold medal-winning USA Baseball 16U National Team in Mexico. The announcement came as part of the federation's weekend-long congress heading into the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings.

Collins was the most valuable player, leading home run hitter and all-tournament team catcher at the IBAF Youth AA/16U World Championships in Lagos de Moreno in August. The U.S. defeated Cuba in the gold medal game, 9-0, to win its sixth straight international tournament.

Collins is the first U.S. player to win an IBAF player of the year award since Justin Smoak took home the professional player honor in 2009. He is the first U.S. youth or junior-level player to be recognized since Justin Bristow in 2003.

The IBAF also named Adam Dowdy the 2011 Umpire of the Year. The American was the home plate umpire for the gold medal game of the 2011 Baseball World Cup in Panama.

In conjunction with the IBAF's meetings, COPABE, the baseball governing body of the Americas, also gathered for elections and meetings, wherein USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler was elected as Secretary General. Seiler is currently a member, at-large, of the IBAF's executive committee.