[2][3][4] She was born to Jack and June Magee on March 30, 1959, one of the youngest children to a large family, in Texas City.

[7] By March 1974, while not quite 15, competing for the Bellevue Swim Club, she broke a record in the 200-yard butterfly at the Great Plains Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Bellevue's coaches Jack Jackson and Jo Heckel recognized her early potential and did much to develop it.

[10] An exceptional High School swimmer, while swimming with Dad's Club she also led Houston area Clear Lake High School, as a Senior to the 1976 state title in Austin Texas, receiving three gold medals and setting three state records.

[11] On March 20, 1976, she set a National High School record in the 100-yard backstroke of 58.9, and was named the Texas State Championship meet's Outstanding Swimmer.

[2][4] A member of the 1977 Berlin world championship team while at the University of North Carolina, she won all-American honor four times in college.