Simsbury’s Max Konopka makes verbal commitment to Virginia Tech

Two-time National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) national champion Max Konopka of Simsbury has made a verbal commitment to Virginia Tech, he announced in a post on Instagram earlier this month.

Konopka, a junior, is scheduled to attend the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) school beginning in the fall of 2027. His final three schools were Virginia Tech, Ohio State and North Carolina State, according to a post on his Instagram feed.

“I want to thank all coaches and schools who reached out. I am very grateful for such an amazing experience,” he said on Instagram. “I have decided that my wrestling journey will continue with Virginia Tech. Thank you to my family and all my coaches that have helped me go through this process.”

Konopka recently transferred schools and is now attending Greens Farms Academy in Westport, the three-time New England Prep School champions.

He will make his debut with the Dragons this weekend at the 2025 Ironman wrestling tournament at Walsh Jesuit High in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He is the No. 1 seed at 215 pounds.

Konopka is one of three GFA wrestlers who are seeded in the tournament, which runs Dec. 12-13. Southington’s Chase Kastner is seeded No. 16 at 126 pounds while Milford’s Kayla Batres is the top seed at 110 pounds in the Women of Ironman tournament on Dec. 13-14.

Konopka went 96-1 in two seasons at Simsbury High, winning two Class L, State Open, New England and NHSCA championships. He finished third at the U.S. Open Under 17 freestyle world team trials last summer at 92 kilograms or 202 pounds.