Gretchen Boykin had a career decision to make.

A registered dietician at a Mobile hospital, Boykin had also coached volleyball for numerous club teams and four years at Spring Hill College. When her alma mater, McGill-Toolen Catholic called to offer a job, Boykin decided that volleyball was her love.

Boykin earned career win No. 1,000 on Thursday as Class 6A second-ranked Spanish Fort beat Mary G. Montgomery 2-0 and added a 2-0 sweep over St. Luke’s for win No. 1,001.

“It’s obviously super-cool because there are not a lot of people who reach that milestone,” Boykin said. “Being part of a program that’s really competitive with the kids caring about being good, it’s easy to coach. When I go do volleyball, that’s not work. It’s fun.”

Boykin has a 1,001-180 career record, an 84.8 winning percentage, and led two different high schools to three total state championships along with numerous title games and final four appearances.

She was also an all-state high school player at McGill-Toolen in addition to earning national honors as a setter at the University of Montevallo.

“Gretchen is a natural born leader and has a true gift for coaching,” said current Thompson coach Judy Green, who coached Boykin at Montevallo. “She is an extraordinary competitor who coaches with such passion, love and determination to help her teams find success. She has and will continue to impact so many young women.”

“So very proud of her for reaching this incredible coaching milestone. She is a winner.”

Boykin guided Spanish Fort to Class 6A state championships in 2015, 2018 and 2019 and has a 501-83 record at the school. Spanish Fort also played in Class 6A title games in 2016 and 2022 and won a spot in semifinal play in 2107 and 2020.

She led McGill-Toolen to the Class 6A state championship in 2005 — only six classes with Class 7A beginning in 2014 — along with semifinal appearances in 2006, 2009 and 2012.

After finishing her career at Montevallo in 1995, Boykin coached club volleyball for several seasons and was a junior varsity coach at McGill-Toolen before Spring Hill College hired her to restart its volleyball program that had been dormant since 1979. She compiled a 101-64 record from 2001-2004 and led the Badgers to their first national tournament.

She received her degree from Montevallo in dietetics and immediately spent an internship year in her field in Colorado. Boykin also coached a club team while there before moving back to Mobile and taking the registered dietician hospital job while also coaching at Spring Hill.

The McGill-Toolen call in 2005 sealed her fate. Boykin spent nine seasons with the Dirty Dozen, posting a 500-97 record along with the 2005 title before taking over at Spanish Fort in 2014.

“I was really happy I took the McGill job,” Boykin said. “Then I found a new home at Spanish Fort and I really love it. I’ve had a great experience at two really great schools.”

Boykin is a member of the Spanish Fort Hall of Fame as well as the McGill-Toolen Hall of Fame and University of Montevallo Hall of Fame.

She played high school volleyball under AHSAA Hall of Fame coach McGill-Toolen Becky Dickinson and was selected all-state as a senior setter in 1991. She helped the Dirty Dozen to the Class 6A title in 1990.

Boykin was the first four-time NAIA All-American for Montevallo and is second all-time in NAIA career assists with 7,245 and her 356 aces is fourth all-time in league play. She was selected NAIA region Player of the Year as a senior in 1995 and won the Fred Sington Award as the top female athlete in the state.

Boykin joins an impressive list of at least six other active state coaches with 1,000-plus wins.

Bayside Academy’s Ann Schilling leads state coaches with a 1,695-440 career record, which is third nationally, while Montgomery Academy’s Julie Gordon is 1,536-432 and fourth on the national list for career wins.

Other active state volleyball coaches with over 1,000 career wins includes DAR’s Tanya Broadway (1,296-423), Springville’s Warren House (1,116-505), Buckhorn’s Dena Clemons (1,051-769) and Lawrence County’s Robyn Hutto (1,048-457).