[1] Lansbach was born on March 6, 1955 in Merrill, Wisconsin to Mary Ellen and Eber Lansbach and after moving 80 miles North, started swimming at the local YMCA in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, where she grew up competing regularly in swim competitions.

Some of her earliest swimming took place at the Gateway Hotel Pool in Land O' Lakes, where Mary swam morning and night.

The assistant coach at Central Jersey Aquatic Club for a period, was her future husband, Bernie Boglioli.

[2] In August 1975, during college summer break, and prior to her Olympic recognition, Wendy married Bernie Boglioli.

Wendy's younger sister Laurie would later swim for Monmouth, and would earn a gold medal in the 1983 Pan American games.

[6][2][4] Her singularly most publicized accomplishment in swimming was winning the gold medal in the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay in world record time at the 1976 Montréal Olympics with teammates Shirley Babashoff, Kim Peyton and Jill Sterkel.

[6] Wendy's teammate at Central Jersey Aquatic Club, Kathy Heddy, was also on the 1976 Women's Olympic Team.

[5] Boglioli also won the bronze medal in the women's 100-meter butterfly, behind East German swimmers Kornelia Ender and Andrea Pollack.

She continues her travels throughout the country giving motivational speeches to both corporations and social groups entitled "Finding the Champion Within".