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Half-dozen Sussex County lifeguards selected to USLA national teams

Four open guards and two U19 set to represent nation in New Zealand
Rehoboth Beach Patrol’s Konner Knarr, left, races against Kolbe Green in a beach flags competition. They will be racing with each other at the 2025 International Surf Rescue challenge in New Zealand this November. AARON R. MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Aaron R. Mushrush
September 23, 2025

When the International Surf Rescue Challenge kicks off in New Zealand this November, six Sussex County lifeguards will represent Team USA. 

Sophia Gulotti, Ashlyn Roselle, Konner Knarr, Coleman Woodard, Kolbe Green and Kyle Green each claimed their spot after taking top spots at the 2025 USLA National Championships in Huntington Beach, Calif., in August. The first four made the open team, while the final two are on the U19 squad. With 16 members – eight men and eight women – on each team, a quarter of the open team protects Sussex County’s beaches.

The guards will compete against a dozen teams hailing from Austria, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain and New Zealand. USLA placed third at the last event, held in South Padre Island, Texas, in 2023, and is looking to improve on those impressive results.

Gulotti and Knarr are Rehoboth Beach Patrol guards, Green and Green are Dewey Beach Patrol guards, Woodard is a Delaware State Parks lifeguard and Roselle lives in Rehoboth Beach but is a North Bethany lifeguard.

Opening ceremonies for the five-day event will begin Wednesday, Nov. 26, after all the teams arrive by Monday, Nov. 24. The first rounds of competition will take place Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27-28, with a day break set for Saturday, Nov. 29. On Sunday, Nov. 30, the finals will be held before an evening presentation concludes the championships.

 

RBP’s Konner Knarr has proven to be an expert at beach flags.
Sophia Gulotti usually breezes through speed competitions.
Dewey Beach Patrol’s Kolbe Green celebrates his first-place finish in the 90-meter beach sprint at USLA Mid-Atlantic competition.
Ashlyn Roselle will stride for the national team in November. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Coleman Woodard paddles in during a board rescue heat.
Rehoboth Beach Patrol’s Sophia Gulotti will bring her positivity to New Zealand in November.

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Aaron Mushrush joined the sports team in Summer 2023 to help cover the emerging youth athletics scene in the Cape Region. After lettering in soccer and lacrosse at Sussex Tech, he played lacrosse at Division III Eastern University in St. David's, PA. Aaron coached lacrosse at Sussex Tech in 2009 and 2011. Post-collegiately, Mush played in the Eastern Shore Summer Lacrosse League for Blue Bird Tavern and Saltwater Lacrosse. He competed in several tournaments for the Shamrocks Lacrosse Club, which blossomed into the Maryland Lacrosse League (MDLL). Aaron interned at the Coastal Point before becoming assistant director at WMDT-TV 47 ABC in 2017 and eventually assignment editor in 2018. 

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