RogueTri Elite

Neil Semmel

2023 USAT Male Grand Masters Aquabike Athlete of the Year and Aquabike National Champion (2024).

His favorite racing moment was at the USA Triathlon Aquabike Long Course National Championship at Clash Daytona in 2024. He Placed 3rd Overall and First Overall in the Male 60-64 Age Group, thus earning the title of “Aquabike National Champion”.

In addition, in 2024 he was also honored with receiving the USA Triathlon Aquabike Grand Masters (60+) Athlete of the Year.

In the past 3 years, he has placed First Overall in 31 Aquabike Races of various distances.

Although he has only raced Aquabike (Swim, Bike, Done) for the past few years, he’s been involved in multisports for 30+ years, initially as a participant and then as the owner of Piranha Sports (event management company) for 17 years. In that time, he managed over 300 triathlons and duathlons. Outside of multi-sport, Neil was a Teacher for the Visually Impaired/Blind for 37 years.

He also had the amazing opportunity to carry the Olympic Torch in the 1996 Olympic Torch run.

Neil always looks forward to meeting and racing with other like-minded competitors, so be sure to say “hello” to him at the start line or at the finish line.

Dan Hathorn

Dan is a remarkable retired Navy Special Operator whose dedication and resilience have inspired many. Following his deployment in 2009, Dan faced significant challenges due to permanent injuries. However, rather than allowing his disabilities to define him, he transformed his life and became an elite triathlete, proving that determination knows no bounds.

With a strong passion for athleticism, Dan followed his passion for endurance sports and continued to excel in the world of triathlons, showcasing his physical capabilities and mental strength. His impressive competitive record includes multiple appearances at prestigious events.

Dan has been a regular attendee at the AG National Championships, participating in 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022, and 2023. His international experience is equally notable, having competed in the ITU World Triathlon Chicago in 2014 and the ITU World Triathlon San Diego in 2012. One of his earlier career highlights was participating in the Dextro ITU World Championships in Beijing in 2011.

Dan’s journey is not just about personal achievement; he is committed to leveraging his experience in biomechanics to assist injured athletes in reclaiming their peak performance. Through his work, Dan aims to empower others, helping them overcome their own obstacles and pursue their athletic dreams. His consistent participation in high-level competitions over the years demonstrates his long-term commitment to the sport and his ability to maintain elite performance despite his past injuries.

As a member of Rogue Tri, Dan brings a wealth of knowledge, inspiration, and motivation to the team, embodying the spirit of perseverance and excellence in the sport. His story is one of courage, proving that with hard work and the right mindset, anything is possible. Dan’s extensive experience in national and international competitions adds significant value to his role within the team, offering insights and strategies that can benefit his fellow athletes.

Al Iacocca

Al hails from beautiful Chester County, Pennsylvania, where the abundance of hills and fellow tristhletes have helped him maintain his triathlon fitness. Al began racing tris in the mid-90s in North Carolina and won a national championship in 2000. He continued racing locally with great success until 2008 when injuries and three awesome children forced an unplanned pause in racing. Always looking to give back to the sport he loves, Al filled his spare time with starting and coaching a youth tri program for 7 years. A formerly licensed USAT coach, Al found great joy and success helping kids and adults reach their triathlon goals. Fast forward a decade, and Al decided it was time to race again to celebrate turning 50. By the end of the year, Al had qualified for 2 World Championships (Aquabike, and XTERRA) and was more or less back in race shape.

Al is excited to be a part of the RogueTri Elite team and the RogueTri program. Having teammates to train with and race with builds friendships for life, and he looks forward to training and racing with even more teammates as the team grows.

Professionally, Al is a judge and attorney, as well as a track and swim coach. He enjoys working with teenagers and adults to help them achieve more than they thought possible!

Tiffany Caponi

Tiff is a 2nd grade teacher, high school track and field coach, wife, and mother of four. She lives to compete and was an All-American hepathlete in college and former RAW Bench Press World Record holder.

She was the 2024 AG National Champion in the Super-Sprint duathlon and is very much looking forward to the 2025 season with RogueTri Elite.

Melissa Czarnecki

My multisport journey began in 2013 with an indoor tri at my gym. I didn’t know how to swim, but I figured I could walk in the pool if I needed to. Fast forward to today and I have completed countless multisport races – triathlon, duathlon, aquabike & aquathon with distances ranging from super-sprint to Ironman. After a running injury in 2022, my focus shifted to aquabike and I raced my first long course national championship in 2022 finishing 3rd in my age group. It was this path that helped me qualify for Team USA. After a lot of PT, I raced as Athena at the national championships in Omaha. With a podium finish, I qualified for Team USA in a 2nd sport – aquathon. I am excited to head to Spain for Worlds in June to represent Team USA. If I’m not racing, I’m probably playing the role of sherpa for friends. During the race, you will find me out on the course cheering everyone on.

Scott Green

Scott is a 30 year veteran of the classroom having taught in Tennessee, Japan and Massachusetts for the past 24 years. He has coached lacrosse and cross-country running and took up triathlon in 1992 when he was teaching in Chattanooga. On a mountain bike and not much planning, he caught the bug and has raced ever since. He has been to three world championships as a member of Team USA in London, Chicago and Rotterdam and has 6 national championships to his name in the Long Distance, Aquabike and Mixed Team Relay disciplines. He loves the daily grind of early wake-ups and two-a-days and looks forward to many more national and world championship events with his teammates on RogueTri Elite – or RTE as he likes to say.

Blair Saunders

Blair Saunders TBD

Julie Cushen

Julie’s multisport journey began as a high school runner where she earned multiple podium finishes at the district, regional, and state level in track and field and cross country. She ran marathons in college and later discovered a passion for bike racing, racing elite road and track cycling from 2013-2019. She has won and podium-ed at numerous road and track races, including two bronze finishes at elite track nationals in the team pursuit. Julie began racing duathlon in 2019 and since then has won 4 national titles in sprint and intermediate duathlon distances and has competed in 5 world championship events. Outside of multisport, Julie is a Ph.D. Chemical Engineer and entrepreneur, where she is the founder of a plant-based nail polish brand.

Andrea Hohler

Coach Andrea

Stephen Eles

Stephen

Michelle Christine

Michelle