Background
Wagstaff was born in Kansas City, Missouri.
Wagstaff was born in Kansas City, Missouri.
Wagstaff appeared on the international swimming stage when she took third place in both the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events at the 1991 World Aquatics Championships in Perth, Australia. At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, Wagstaff earned a gold medal by swimming for the winning United States. team in the preliminary heats of the 4×100-meter medley relay. Wagstaff accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she swam for coach Mitch Ivey and coach Chris Martin"s Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (National Collegiate Athletic Association) competition in 1993 and 1994.
During her two-year career as a Gator swimmer, she received eleven All-American honors.
Wagstaff left the University of Florida in September 1994 to train full-time for the 1996 Summer Olympics.