Jenny Wylie swam at the 1972 Olympics when she was only 15-years-old, and she was only entering her freshman year at Awalt High School in Mountain View, California, from which she graduated in 1976. Wylie also competed for the Santa Clara Swim Club. At the 1972 AAU indoors Wylie placed second in the 500 yard freestyle and 400 IM, third in the 1,650 yard freestyle, and fifth in the 200 yard freestyle. She later attended the University of Nevada at Reno, graduating in 1982, and would eventually work for Nevada Computer Services.