On June 22, 2012, Derrick finished 4th in the 10k Olympic Trials, getting beat out by Galen Rupp, Matt Tegenkamp, and Dathan Ritzenhein.
After redshirting his freshman season, he defeated two-time high school national champion Dathan Ritzenhein at the U.S. Junior Cross Country championships, handing Ritzenhein his first cross country defeat in several years.