Top-seeded Jacob Ealy won by fall in Friday's quarterfinals at 149 lbs., and sixth-seeded Nate Smith won by decision in the quarterfinals at 157 lbs. to advance to Saturday's semifinals at the 2023 NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
Eight Mountain Cats earned spots in the national tournament, but only Ealy and Smith will wrestle on Saturday.
 
Ealy opened the tournament with a 7-2 win over Lander's Jack Tangen, before pinning eighth-seeded Brik Filippo :47 into the opening period to reach the semifinals where he will take on Western Colorado's Jason Hanenberg.
 
Smith scored a pair of decisions to earn his spot in the semis.  In the opening round, Smith defeated Northern State's Devin Bahr, 4-3, before securing a 5-2 win over King's Trey Mahoney in the quarters.  Smith will take on second-seeded Nick Novak (St. Cloud State).
 
At 197 lbs. Dakoda Rodgers reached the quarterfinals with a 3-1 sudden victory over sixth-seeded Anthony Yacovetti (Lander) before suffering a 15-1 major third-ranked Tereus Henry (Fort Hays State).  In the second round of the consolations, Rodgers tournament came to an end with a 10-2 loss to McKendree's Logan Kvien.
 
After suffering a narrow loss to begin the tournament, five-time national qualifier and three-time All-American Brock Biddle, seeded sixth at 184 lbs., bounced back with a 15-4 major decision win over Augustana's Cade Mueller in a Pigtail Consolation.  Biddle then pinned Maryville's Joey Williams in :47 in the first round of the consolations.  However, he suffered a 13-9 loss to fifth-ranked Reece Worachek (Wisconsin-Parkside) in the second round of the consolations.
 
Trevon Gray (125 lbs.), Byron Daubert (133 lbs.), Caleb Morris (141 lbs.), and Isaiah Vance (285 lbs.) all wrestled in the national tournament, but went 0-2.