Anderson was born in Santa Clara, California but grew up in Granite Bay.

Anderson's younger sister, Haley, is also a swimmer and competed with her at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships.

At the 2007 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, Anderson won silver medals in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she swam for the winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay and earned a gold medal.

[5] Anderson's sister, Haley, won a silver medal in the 10-kilometer open water marathon at the 2012 Olympics.