With an emphatic slam of the pen on the table, and in front of a standing-room only crowd in the Zelle Fine Arts Building, Myles Twyman is now a part of the Ivy League.
Twyman, a senior multi-use weapon in the Darlington Tiger football program, signed his National Letter-of-Intent Friday with Princeton University. He could have chosen one of these Tigers’ Ivy rivals; about all of them wanted him. He could have chosen a military service academy; they wanted him. Twyman even could have walked on (preferred-style) with Florida State.
The Rome Orthopaedic Student Scholarship winner, however, figured out his best fit and is looking forward to both athletic and academic success in New Jersey.
“It really came down to Georgetown and Princeton,” said Twyman. “Those are two schools I took visits to. Princeton ended up being a better fit for me. As soon as I got off the phone (committing), it felt great. I knew they wanted me up there. It’s a great place.”
Tiger assistant coach Mark Loudermilk talked about his close relationship with Twyman and how much Twyman worked to earn this opportunity.
“It has been my privilege to say, ‘He’s gone,’” said Loudermilk, the offensive play-caller. “I did not realize how fast he really was until two years ago when we played Pepperell. We ran the draw, and he took off.”
Touchdown.
Twyman did it again to his surprise against the “dudes” from Heard County. “He’s gone.”
Darlington head coach Wayne Groves reminded everyone that signing to play college football is a “life-changing moment” setting Twyman up for future success and positively impacting his entire family.
“This process has been a little stressful,” said Groves. “Really fast and hard at the very end. But I think with a lot of prayer, a lot of family consulting ... he had a chance to go to a lot of different places, but I think he found the exact right fit for him and what he’s looking for in his future.
“It’s very easy to love Myles. Look at this room. It shows the impact you made on these people and how much people care about you. I could brag about him all day. He has a huge heart, such an old soul. He’s a hard worker, and excellent student, and I hear he’s a great dancer.”
Twyman was team captain for Darlington football in 2025 and for three years has earned core value awards voted on by players and coaches. In 2023, he won the Integrity Award; in 2024, he won the Trust Award; and 2025 he won Darlington Tiger Football Pride, an all-encompassing award, Groves said. Twyman was Super Tiger Champion in 2024 for the biggest, fastest and strongest athlete, and was awarded for special teams excellence both as a long snapper and kick returner. The last two seasons, he was an All-Region running back.
In his career, Twyman gave the Tigers more than 2,000 yards of total offense and more than 20 touchdowns.
“I was sad to see (my high school career) come to a close,” said Twyman. “It was very special to play here. Great tradition. I’m excited for what the next chapter holds.”
“You are a once-in-a-lifetime type athlete,” said Loudermilk. He also told his teammates and any other Darlington student-athlete that they, too, can do this, go to college as a student-athlete. “You have to work. You have to dream it. Then you have to go get it.”
“I believe in what the (Princeton) coaches believe in,” said Twyman. “From a football standpoint, I trust what they are telling me. The coaches were really transparent with me throughout the process.”
Twyman said Princeton plans to primarily use him on offense. He wants to use his first year to get adjusted to the new surroundings both on the playing field and in the academic buildings.
“Put it in God’s hands,” he said.
“He really wanted to go to a high-level academic institution,” said Groves. “He had six or seven Ivy League Schools (offer). He had Army, Navy, Air Force all offer.
“Princeton is the perfect fit. He gelled with the coaching staff the most. Princeton’s getting a good football player and a good young man. He did everything for us. So many roles. Running back, cornerback. Our program will miss him for sure.
“All of his success came from his hard work. Maybe his freshman year, he didn’t think this was possible, but he stuck with the process and kept doing everything he possibly could right in the classroom and on the field. This is the end result.”
“Major” is how Twyman measured the academic side of this decision. Outside of football, he likes to hang out with friends. In school, he’s leaning towards business finance and perhaps becoming a hedge fund manager or a football general manager.
This article was originally published in the Rome-News Tribune on Feb. 28, 2026.
