F996E2AA-29D9-4434-B611-43BE23383AA8 copy

Coaches Elevating the Game

Guiding the Next Generation of Champions

Our coaches are more than just experts—they’re mentors, motivators, and leaders who care about every player’s journey. Through skill-building, teamwork, and a focus on personal growth, we create an environment where players can thrive on and off the field. Together, we’re not just building athletes; we’re building confident, driven individuals ready to take on any challenge.

Be Part of the Aces Family →

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Brent Rothfuss
Founder & Recruiting Director
Coach 2026

Bio & Contact

Founder & Director
Head Coach 2026

Coach Brent started Aces in January 2017 to provide an opportunity for young lacrosse players to accelerate their skill development and passion for the game.

Brent graduated from Penfield High School in 1993, winning two Sectional titles (‘92 and ‘93) while serving as team captain. He went on to play 4 years of Varsity Lacrosse at Nazareth College, and lead the Golden Flyers to National Championships in 1996 and 1997 as team captain.

After college, Brent played for 3 years in the National Lacrosse League for the Rochester Knighthawks and Columbus Landsharks. After that, he played 5 seasons of Major League Lacrosse with the Boston Cannons and Rochester Rattlers.

Brent began coaching girls lacrosse first as a youth coach in Pittsford, and then as a varsity assistant, helping the Varsity Team win their first Sectional Titles in school history. Now, his efforts are devoted to directing and coaching the Aces Program to help grow the game as well as develop the next generation of girls lacrosse players in the Upstate New York area. He has two daughters Peyton (2026) and Sydney (2029) who play in the Aces Program.

Heidi Rasmussen
Director
Coach 2029 & 2036

Bio & Contact

Director and Head Coach 2029 & 2036

Heidi Rasmussen lives in Penfield, NY with her husband, Bill and her two daughters, Jordan (2029) and Taylor (2033). Heidi has been a member of the local lacrosse community since her high school playing days at Penfield High School ('97) and later as a Division I player at Penn State University ('01) where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology.

Heidi is currently a physical education teacher in the Pittsford school district, where she was the varsity lacrosse coach for 13 years. In her time as the head coach at Pittsford, her teams won two sectional championships, made 2 appearances in the state semifinals as well as one trip to the state finals.

In recognition of her contributions to the sport, Heidi was inducted into the Rochester Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2016. The following year Heidi earned her US Lacrosse Level 1 Coaching Certification and currently serves as an instructor for US Lacrosse.

She is currently very involved with youth lacrosse instruction and runs camps and clinics throughout the year that are intended to help young players advance their skills, fundamentals, understanding, and love of the game of lacrosse.

Pat Capozzi
General Manager
Coach 2027

Bio & Contact

General Manager

Pat Capozzi lives in Penfield, NY with his wife, Erica and his two daughters, Jenna (‘25 - Fairfield University 2029) and Elise (‘27). Pat has been involved with Aces - both coaching and in operations - since its inception in 2017. A native of Geneva, NY, Pat was a standout athlete in football and lacrosse at Geneva High School serving as team captain in both sports in 1993 & 1994.

Pat continued onto Alfred University as a starting midfielder and face-off specialist for the nationally ranked Saxons, and was voted team captain in 1998. He earned his Bachelors Degree in Business at Alfred and a MBA from the University of Massachusetts.

Pat has worked for several years in healthcare and is currently a Region Director with Premier Inc. (Charlotte, NC). Pat was involved with Penfield Youth Lacrosse for 6 years and spent numerous years teaching at both camps and clinics throughout Massachusetts and New York upon completing his playing career.

Erica Capozzi
Program Director

Bio & Contact

Program Director

Erica Capozzi lives in Penfield, NY with her husband, Pat and her two daughters, Jenna (‘25 - Fairfield University 2029) and Elise (‘27). Erica has been a Director with Aces since 2019 and focuses on program wide offerings, program growth, and supporting the college recruiting process.

A native of Whiteboro, NY, Erica graduated from Rome Catholic High and was recruited to play basketball at Alfred University. Following Freshman year, she transitioned from basketball to Lacrosse and was a starting defensive midfielder and team captain in 1999. She earned her Bachelors Degree in Athletic Training.

Erica works at Microsoft where she is Director Specialist working with Academic Medical Centers on improving clinical outcomes, closing care gaps and improving provider experience with cloud and AI.

ACES COACHES

Kyle Bottiglier
Coach 2027

Bio & Contact

Craig Whipple
Coach 2028

Bio & Contact

Head Coach 2028

Coach Craig Whipple works with the 2028 Aces Team. Prior to joining the staff at Fisher, he was an Assistant Coach at Hobart College, where he worked with the Division I Statesmen's program since 2014. There, Coach Whipple assisted in the offense, designing and implementing plays both at practice and during live contests. Over his three-year tenure there, Coach Whipple helped coach the Statesmen to 26 victories, including a Northeast Conference title in 2016.

Before working at the collegiate level, Coach Whipple was the head coach for the Irondequoit High School boys' team. During his time there, he helped turn a .500 program into national power that would win four Section V titles and appear in four New York State Championship Final Fours and the 2012 state championship appearance where his team was rank 12th in the nation. He was named the All-Greater Rochester Coach of the Year in both 2007 and 2012 as well as Class B coach of the year 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Coach Whipple also brings plenty of playing experience. The Rochester native played at Irondequoit High School where he won 4 Section V titles and was the 1995 Section V tournament MVP. After a year attending Canterbury Prep, Coach Whipple played four years at the Rochester Institute of Technology (1996-2000), where he was 3 time all Super Six Conference, ECAC MVP and was All-American. After college, he took his talents to the National Lacrosse League (NLL) where he played three years of box lacrosse with the Rochester Knighthawks. Along with playing box he also founded and was GM of the Rochester J-hawks Jr B Box lacrosse club.

Coach Whipple and his wife Amy have two daughters, Lucy (2028) and Charlotte (2030), who both play for the Aces.

20221209115112_0d9f3245-8229-45cf-8511-97151fb0aec3

Emily Schillinger
Coach 2028

Bio & Contact

Ric Beardsley
Coach 2028

Bio & Contact

Jessica Tuttle
Coach 2029

Bio & Contact

Rachel Hillhouse
Coach 2030

Bio & Contact

Head Coach 2030

Rachel Hillhouse grew up in Victor NY and has spent the past 15 years in Asheville, North Carolina where she started the first all-girls lacrosse organization in Western North Carolina.

Rachel has traveled all over the Southeast coaching girls of all ages from youth to High School in tournaments, clinics, season play and outreach events. Rachel's advocacy and training efforts helped grow and develop the game of lacrosse in WNC to establish the first two public school women's lacrosse programs in the community.

Growing the game has always been a passion for Rachel and she began working with US Lacrosse as a Level 1 and Level 2 Coaches Development Trainer in 2015. In 2018, Coach Rachel began working as a clinician with the Sankofa Clinic series and also served on the US Lacrosse WNC Chapter Board from 2018-2020.

Rachel currently coaches with Victor Youth Girls Lacrosse and Aces. She lives in Victor with her daughter, Sophie and their dog Osito.

Jackie Wilkcom
Coach 2030

Bio & Contact

Travis Eckler
Coach 2031

Bio & Contact

Kelsey McNaboe
Coach 2031

Bio & Contact

Cassie Kessler
Coach 2032

Bio & Contact

Andrianna Gruttadauria
Coach 2032

Bio & Contact

Gene Stenzel
Coach 2032

Bio & Contact

Bill Rasmussen
Coach 2033

Bio & Contact

Margo Smith
Coach 2033

Bio & Contact

Ted Winslow
Coach 2034

Bio & Contact

Scott Sciera
Coach 2034

Bio & Contact

Any Eller
Coach 2034

Bio & Contact

Danielle Carlson
Coach 2035

Bio & Contact

Jenna Capozzi
Coach 2035

Bio & Contact

Madigan Lublin
College Assistant Coach

Bio & Contact

GOALIE COACHES

Lex Bower
Goalie Coach

Bio & Contact

Maggie Cross
Goalie Coach

Bio & Contact

PROGRAM STAFF

Stacie Miller
Travel and Events Coordinator

Bio & Contact

Stacie is Aces Travel and Events Coordinator. Stacie leads all tournament travel planning and club-wide team bonding events. She works closely with our outstanding Parent Reps who dedicate their time to team buidling events, photography, and videogrpahy at each level.

Stacie is Assistant Principal at Fairport's Brooks Hill Elementary School, and is married to Cory, a teacher at Fairport High School. Stacie and Cory have daughter Ellie (Aces, 2026), and son Liam (2029).

Scott McVean
Operations Coordinator

Bio & Contact

Operations Coordinator

Scott is the Aces Operations Coordinator, responsible for club-wide facility procurement, registration, scheduling and administration. He lives in Penfield, NY with his wife, Kristen and three children. His two daughters, Nina (‘28) and Isla (‘30) are participants in the Aces program. A native of Penfield, NY, Scott participated in Football and Baseball at Penfield High School.

Scott earned his BS in Sport Management at Ithaca College and received his MS in Athletic Administration from SUNY Brockport. He coached college football at the University of Rochester for two years, before shifting his career into higher education administration. He currently works at RIT as the Senior Associate Athletic Director and serves on the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Division III National Committee.

Jackie Cougevan
Communications Coordinator

Bio & Contact

Communications Coordinator

Jackie Cougevan is Aces Communications Coordinator, responsible for all creative, website, social media and club-wide communications.

Jackie is a native of Fairport, where she played lacrosse through high school. She went on to study at Cornell University and stayed involved with the sport by creating a club lacrosse team there.

Later, at the University of Rochester, Jackie earned dual master’s degrees in School Counseling and Community Counseling. She worked as a school counselor before starting her family with husband, Pat Cougevan. Together they share five children - Paddy, Molly (Aces ‘30), Danny, Allison and James.

Jackie has experience coaching at the JV and Youth levels. She has always had a love for the game and is excited to work alongside the passionate individuals involved with the Aces program and larger lacrosse community!

Duffy McKenna
Teams Manager; Assistant to 2028s

Bio & Contact

Duffy MCKenna is a life-long resident of West Irondequoit. He served as Team Manager to the Irondequoit High School Varsity Lacrosse Team from 1996 to 2014 and was named Monroe County Varsity Lacrosse Division 2 ”Man of the Year” in 2014.

Duffy was an assistant coach on the 2012 and 2013 U.S lacrosse teams that won the North American Brogden Cup 2 years consecutively. Duffy has also assisted with the Irondequoit Youth Lacrosse for several years.

He was an assistant coach Hobart College 2015 through 2017. From 2018 to present, he serves as Special Assistant to the St. John Fisher Varsity Lacrosse Team. Duffy has a brother and sister, 4 nieces, and a nephew.

Joe Aratari
Strength & Conditioning Coach

Bio & Contact

Strength & Conditioning

Joe's passion lies in helping as many people as possible reach their full potential to become high performers in every aspect of sport and life.

Joe brings his strength and conditioning and sports performance expertise to our club, partnering with our coaches on team-specific conditioning programs. Also, while many players already benefit from strength and conditioning offerings within their schools, this is not a consistent reality across all districts. Joe works with our Aces players looking to build functional strength into their regime, beyond what is currently available to them.

Joe Aratari has been a part of the local athletic community since his high school playing days at Irondequoit ('10) and college degree at both Plattsburgh State ('14, played collegiately for 4 years) and Brockport State ('16). Joe has a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, Criminal Justice and a minor in psychology.

Joe is currently a certified strength and conditioning/sport performance coach and manager of Next Level Strength & Conditioning in Fairport, NY. At Next Level, Joe and his staff work with athletes from MS to professional athletes of various sports and have helped numerous athletes transition between middle school to high school and high school to college athletics. Joe is also the director of sport performance for the Brighton Bruins athletic department as well as the strength coach for 8 Nazareth College programs, including women's lacrosse.

Prior to joining Brighton's staff, Joe spent 6 years at Penfield High School as their head strength coach, from 2015-2021. Joe helped both the boys and women’s lacrosse program to sectional titles in 2018, a year in which the girls made a trip to the state finals. Joe is currently the NYS director of high school strength and conditioning.

Building Well Rounded Players On the Field and Beyond

“We are beyond grateful for the Aces program. In addition to the outstanding lacrosse training and advancement provided, the coaches are committed to developing well-rounded team players - building a foundation of skills for the girls to leverage both on the field and beyond.”

2029 Parent, Penfield

Coaches Tailor Feedback to Each Athlete

“Aces Elite has been an amazing program that has helped my daughter excel at the sport. In addition the caring role that coach Brent offers each athlete based on his knowledge of who they are is priceless! We could not be happier to be a part of this amazing program!”

Coaches Elevating the Game

Guiding the Next Generation of Champions

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Brent Rothfuss Founder & Recruiting Director Coach 2026

Heidi Rasmussen Director Coach 2029 & 2036

Pat Capozzi General Manager Coach 2027

Erica Capozzi Program Director

ACES COACHES

Kyle Bottiglier Coach 2027

Craig Whipple Coach 2028

Emily Schillinger Coach 2028

Ric Beardsley Coach 2028

Jessica Tuttle Coach 2029

Rachel Hillhouse Coach 2030

Jackie Wilkcom Coach 2030

Travis Eckler Coach 2031

Kelsey McNaboe Coach 2031

Cassie Kessler Coach 2032

Andrianna Gruttadauria Coach 2032

Gene Stenzel Coach 2032

Bill Rasmussen Coach 2033

Margo Smith Coach 2033

Ted Winslow Coach 2034

Scott Sciera Coach 2034

Any Eller Coach 2034

Danielle Carlson Coach 2035

Jenna Capozzi Coach 2035

Madigan Lublin College Assistant Coach

GOALIE COACHES

Lex Bower Goalie Coach

Maggie Cross Goalie Coach

PROGRAM STAFF

Stacie Miller Travel and Events Coordinator

Scott McVean Operations Coordinator

Jackie Cougevan Communications Coordinator

Duffy McKenna Teams Manager; Assistant to 2028s

Joe Aratari Strength & Conditioning Coach

Building Well Rounded Players On the Field and Beyond

2029 Parent, Penfield

Coaches Tailor Feedback to Each Athlete

2026 Parent, Victor

Brent Rothfuss
Founder & Recruiting Director
Coach 2026

Heidi Rasmussen
Director
Coach 2029 & 2036

Pat Capozzi
General Manager
Coach 2027

Erica Capozzi
Program Director

Kyle Bottiglier
Coach 2027

Craig Whipple
Coach 2028

Emily Schillinger
Coach 2028

Ric Beardsley
Coach 2028

Jessica Tuttle
Coach 2029

Rachel Hillhouse
Coach 2030

Jackie Wilkcom
Coach 2030

Travis Eckler
Coach 2031

Kelsey McNaboe
Coach 2031

Cassie Kessler
Coach 2032

Andrianna Gruttadauria
Coach 2032

Gene Stenzel
Coach 2032

Bill Rasmussen
Coach 2033

Margo Smith
Coach 2033

Ted Winslow
Coach 2034

Scott Sciera
Coach 2034

Any Eller
Coach 2034

Danielle Carlson
Coach 2035

Jenna Capozzi
Coach 2035

Madigan Lublin
College Assistant Coach

Lex Bower
Goalie Coach

Maggie Cross
Goalie Coach

Stacie Miller
Travel and Events Coordinator

Scott McVean
Operations Coordinator

Jackie Cougevan
Communications Coordinator

Duffy McKenna
Teams Manager; Assistant to 2028s

Joe Aratari
Strength & Conditioning Coach