Max McEnelly was a four-time Minnesota state high school champion at three different weight classes for Waconia High School in Waconia, Minnesota.

He had a 181-1 record in his last four years of prep action.

Named the 2022-23 Metro Wrestler of the Year by the Star Tribune, McEnelly also received the 2023 Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association's Mr. Minnesota high school wrestling award and was ranked as the top pound-for-pound wrestler in Minnesota by The Guillotine magazine.

He won a bronze medal at the 2022 U17 World Freestyle Championships and was a Fargo freestyle national champion in 2021.