Wolk honors U.C. Davis wrestling champion

Derek Moore leaves Aggies with perfect final season, multiple championship titles

SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) honored local wrestling champion Derek Moore Monday during a ceremony at the State Capitol.

Wolk presented Moore, a senior at the University of California at Davis, with a resolution for his achievements with the Aggies during a session of the State Assembly.

“Derek is the first U.C. Davis student-athlete to win a NCAA national championship at the Division-I level, the first U.C. Davis wrestler to earn All-American status, and the first Aggie to be named Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year. The list goes on and on,” said Wolk. “This young man is a star athlete who has certainly taken wrestling at U.C. Davis to a whole new level.” 

Despite the fact that he missed over half the season due to knee and elbow injuries, and wrestled at both the Pac-10 finals and National championships wrapped in bandages, with the full use of only one arm, this was a good year for Moore.

The 141-pound team captain compiled a perfect 24-0 record during the 2006-2007 season, with five pins and six major decisions, and has been named the California Aggie’s Athlete of the Year.  He leaves the university with a career record of 92-21 and numerous championship titles to his name.

In March, Moore beat out the favored wrestler at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship for the title and was named the championship’s “Most Outstanding Wrestler.” He is the first U.C. Davis wrestler to win a national championship since the 1950s. He also won his second consecutive Pac-10 Championship this year—making him the first U.C. Davis wrestler to win back-to-back crowns.

“I set a goal for myself, to win a national championship. But I didn’t think all this would ever happen to me,” Moore said of all the recognition he’s received.  “Wrestling’s not that big in California.” He said he hopes his success will promote additional interest in the sport, especially now that U.C. Davis athletics is transitioning into Division I competition. 

Moore graduates this year with degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology, and begins a four-year tour with the United States Army in October. He said he hopes to wrestle during his military service, having already been declared eligible to participate in the World Class Athlete Program.