Deglau swam for the Vancouver Pacific Swim Club in her youth, until becoming a member of the national team.

In addition to swimming on the national team, she swam for and graduated from the University of British Columbia.

The Vancouver native first broke the Canadian record in the 200-meter butterfly at the 1996 Olympics clocking 2:11.68 for sixth spot and bettered it two years later at the world championships, again finishing sixth.

Deglau won the 1996 Elaine Tanner Award, presented annually to Canada's outstanding junior female athlete.

On April 3, 2013, Deglau was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame.