“Optimistic and hard-working.”

That’s how Almudena Ayala, mom of men’s soccer junior midfielder Alex Miller and women’s lacrosse freshman midfielder Emma Miller-Ayala, describes her son and daughter.

How did they get here?

Almudena is a successful industrial engineer from Spain. She began working for a U.S.-based company, Thompson Ramo Wooldridge (TRW), at its office in Spain. After a few years, the company offered her a position in its Westminster, Massachusetts, office. She got married, and that’s when Yago Miller — Alex and Emma’s older brother — was born.

Later, the family moved back to Spain, where Almudena resumed work at her original office, and Alex was born. Two years later, the company offered her another opportunity — this time in its Mexico office — which she also accepted. That’s where Emma was born. Despite their moves, the family always remained based in Massachusetts.

Alex and Emma grew up in Leominster, Massachusetts, and are now both Division I athletes at Quinnipiac University.

“They have always had a ball at their feet,” said Almudena, when asked how their love for sports began. “Alex specifically started walking when he was one year old, and he would kick the ball with his left foot, so we used to joke about him being a lefty.”

Growing up, the backyard was the siblings’ safe space — whether they were playing sports, hanging out or even competing in board games. One thing was always the norm: competition. That trait defines them as a family. Alex calls it their “competitive spirit.”

Emma practiced her lacrosse skills on one side of the yard while her brother worked on his soccer skills on the other. But sometimes, roles switched.

“I’d make up the games, tweak the rules in my favor, just to make sure I could win,” Alex recalled. “Then I’d be like, ‘I beat you at your own sport.’ That’s really where all this competitiveness comes from.”

They were both standout student-athletes in high school. Emma earned USA Lacrosse All-American honors and was a three-time Mid-Wach A All-Star. Alex won the CMASS MVP award twice and was named CMASS Telegram & Gazette Player of the Year.

“Our competitive spirit is something that’s helped us carve our path to college,” Alex said.

One challenge athletes often face is comparison — especially among siblings. For Emma, that was occasionally tough, but it never held her back.

“My coach now, back when I was still in high school, would tell me he’d seen my brother out on the field working in his free time,” she said. “That just made me realize I needed to do the extra work too, to kind of match that energy. It pushed me to be better.”

Academics have always been a priority in their household.

“Sports are just a small part of life,” Almudena said. “I’m so proud of them. I don’t even like or watch sports — that’s all them, and they do it because they love it. Seeing that all the hard work, both in school and on the field, is paying off makes me really proud.”

Emma originally wanted to pursue nursing, but not many universities allow athletes to manage both due to the program’s intensity. She was ready to commit to a Division III school, until her drive and her brother’s example pushed her to take on the Division I challenge at Quinnipiac.

Alex started at Quinnipiac in the physical therapy program before switching to economics and finance.

His transition mirrors the broader theme of adaptability that runs through the siblings’ lives. All three of them, Yago included, have played important roles in one another’s lives, while learning to be independent.

“Live life, find balance, and try to find fun in the little things,” is the best advice Emma says her brother has given her.

Emma is the most disciplined and hardworking of the three, according to Alex — something he considers one of her greatest strengths. He’s proud of her, and even though she’s his younger sister, he learns from her too.

“Emma’s been able to make more of a difference than I did in my first year, and that’s something to look up to,” he said. “She shows her talent in how mentally strong she is.”

And yes — they speak Spanish. The final question of the interview was asked in Spanish, and they both understood and answered it perfectly. The siblings make it a point to show up for each other’s games — a special part of their shared journey at Quinnipiac

“Cada vez que podemos apoyarnos entre nosotros, lo hacemos.”

“Every time we have the chance to support each other, we do it.”