BUTLER TWP — It's always in the back of Laura Goettler's mind.

It's what drives her.

It's what gets her out of bed in the wee hours of the morning so she can go to the pool and get in her grueling work.

It's what makes the sometimes long journeys to practice in Olympic-size pools worth it.

It's her dream.

Goettler, a senior on the Butler girls swimming and diving team, will compete in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200-yard breaststroke in Omaha, Neb., in June.

She's been preparing since she first qualified in April.

Swimming has been a passion of hers since an early age and since she realized she was good at it at the age of 12.

It isn't always easy, though.

“It's definitely a love-hate relationship,” Goettler said, laughing. “Mostly love.”

Goettler has also seen another dream come true.

This weekend, she committed to continue her swimming and academic career at Duquesne University.

Goettler said she had an inkling that's where she wanted to go all the way back in the summer on her first visit to the school.

She decided, however, to leave her options open for a time and visit other schools.

None of them, however, compared to Duquesne.

“I just really love the atmosphere,” Goettler said. “I know the coach (Dave Sheets) really well and I know he's a coach who's going to take care of me and get me where I want to be.”

Where Goettler wants to be is in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Goettler said she is better on the long-courses of Olympic-size pools.

“It's not as many walls and I'm not as good on walls,” Goettler said.

To get practice time in on long courses, Goettler has to drive to Ohio or Pittsburgh.

It's worth it.

“I'm just training as hard as I can,” Goettler said. “I'm always thinking about (the Olympic Trials). I'm always trying to get better.”

This winter, Goettler also has some lofty goals for her final season in the Butler pool.

Goettler won the PIAA Class AAA title in the 100 breaststroke with a school-record time of 1:01.13 — a day after a disappointing fifth-place finish in the 200 individual medley.

Goettler wants more this season.

A lot more.

“I'd love to get another state title,” she said. “Or maybe two. I've love to break my own records.”

One thing Goettler plans to do is enjoy her final high school season.

It's flown by as fast as one of her swims.

“It's crazy,” Goettler said. “I never expected it to go by as fast as it has.”

Goettler has always been fast in the pool.

So fast, she even surprised herself in the beginning.

“It was shocking,” Goettler said of when she discovered she could do big things in the sport when she was younger. “It was like, 'Oh, wow. I can maybe make something out of this.'”

Goettler has.

A shot at the Olympics and a spot on a Division I college swimming team.

“It was a pretty cool feeling being contacted by some pretty high-level schools,” Goettler said. “I visited a few (Tennessee and South Carolina) and was talking to a few, but Duquesne was the place for me.”