As an age group swimmer, von Saltza swam for coach George Haines' Santa Clara Swim Club and led the club to multiple team championships at the nationals, in addition to winning nineteen individual Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) titles.

[1] A year prior to the Olympics, von Saltza won five gold medals at the 1959 Pan American Games.

Von Saltza later attended Stanford University, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Asian history.

They immigrated to the United States at the turn of the 20th century, and she is still recognized by her title in the Who's Who of Swedish Nobility.

Von Saltza was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1966.