2017 BYU Hall of Fame

A member of the BYU dive team from 1996-00, Rachelle Smith Kunkel has taken her talents to many diving championships across the world, including the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. During her time at BYU, Kunkel was named All-Western Athletic Conference her first three years and All-Mountain West Conference her senior season.

During the 1998-99 season, Kunkel finished second and fifth on the 1-meter and the 3-meter at the NCAA Zone E Qualifying Meet. She would go on to finish 15th in the 1-meter and 23rd in the 3-meter and at the NCAA Championships and was named a second-team All-American. That same year she competed at the U.S. Summer Nationals where she won the 1-meter event.

As a senior in 1999-00, Kunkel had 11 first-place wins in the 1-meter and the 3-meter during the regular season and helped BYU to a final national ranking of 29th. At the MWC Championships, she was named Diver of the Year for her first-place finishes in both the 1-meter and the 3-meter. In her final trip to the NCAA Championships, Kunkel placed first on the 1-meter and 3-meter at the NCAA Zone E Qualifying Meet and later placed sixth in the 1-meter at the NCAA Championships and was named a first-team All-American.

After BYU, Kunkel was the 2002, 2003 and 2004 U.S. National Champion in the 1-meter, the 2003 World Champion in the 3-meter and the 2004 Speedo American Cup champion in the 3-meter. In 2004, Kunkel competed in the 2004 Olympic Trials where she finished second place, earning her an invitation to Athens  as a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team. While in Athens, she placed ninth in the 3-meter springboard.

Kunkel and her husband, Jeff have five children: Ryan, Maren, Andrew, Wyatt and Brynn.

Earned All-WAC honors for second-place finish on the one-meter board at the WAC championships ... finished 12th on the three-meter and 19th on the one-meter at the NCAA Zone E qualifying meet ...finished 12th at senior nationals on one-meter board.

All-WAC, second place on 1-meter and 3-meter boards ... U.S. Spring Senior Nationals, 6th place on one meter.

Led the team in diving...Zone E runner-up on the 1M and fifth on the 3M...placed 23rd on 3M at NCAA Championships...Named Second Team All-American for 15th-place finish on 1M at NCAA's...Second-place finish at U.S. Senior Nationals...placed 13th on 1M at World Student University Games...1M champion at U.S. Summer Nationals.

Tallied 11 first-place wins in the the 1 and 3-meter diving during the season ... at the Mountain West Conference Champs, she was named Diver of the Year after her first-place finishes in both the 1 and 3-meter diving events ... at the NCAA Zone E Qualifying meet she placed first again in the 1 and 3-meter to qualify for the NCAA Championships ... at Champs she finished sixth on the 1M and was named First Team All-American.