GROVE CITY — On a crisp early October evening last year, Craig Bicehouse logged on to the Internet and checked his e-mail.

In his inbox was a curious piece of mail. It was from Grove City College football recruiting coordinator Todd Gibson.

"We need a kicker," Gibson wrote in the e-mail. "Are you interested?"

Bicehouse, who hadn't kicked a football since his senior season at Slippery Rock High in 2006, wrote back, "Sure."

The Wolverines were in desperate need of a kicker after Butler graduate Chris Haley went down with a leg injury in the third game of the season.

Unable to find a suitable replacement in-house, the coaching staff reached out to Bicehouse two weeks later.

Bicehouse responded to the e-mail on a Sunday. The next day he was booting footballs at practice. That Saturday he went 5-for-5 on extra points and kicked a 28-yard field goal.

"I know this from my Christian beliefs: God set this situation up for me," Bicehouse said. "Everything just fit in."

Bicehouse explored his kicking options in college after a standout senior year with the Rockets. He connected on seven field goals, including the only points in a 3-0 upset win over Wilmington, and hit 38 PAT attempts.

But Bicehouse wanted to attend Grove City College, which at the time wasn't searching for another kicker.

Instead, he resigned himself to the fact that his playing days were over.

Or so he believed.

"I had no thoughts at all that this was even a possibility," Bicehouse said. "None whatsoever."

Bicehouse booted four field goals for the Wolverines last season and was nearly flawless on extra points.

Now a junior and with Haley still sidelined, Bicehouse is the go-to guy in the kicking game.

And he hasn't disappointed in camp.

"(Bicehouse) took a year off, then Haley got hurt," GCC head coach Chris Smith said. "We got him to come out. It was a pretty good decision for him and for us."

Bicehouse has boomed kickoffs and he said his accuracy and range on field goals have improved.

"I kicked two or three days a week all summer," Bicehouse said. "I feel great this year."

Anything Bicehouse can do will be helpful in a Presidents' Athletic Conference that figures to be tough from top to bottom.

Grove City is in position to challenge last year's conference champion Thomas More and perennial power Washington & Jefferson.

Just a few points could decide games — points Bicehouse could provide with his right foot.

"There were a few close games last year that I struggled a little bit in," Bicehouse said. "But I learned from that experience and I feel like I am more prepared for them this year."

Bicehouse said he would feel comfortable kicking from 42 yards out, but believes he could make anything between 45 and 50 yards.

Just being a part of a team again has exceeded Bicehouse's expectations.

"I love this team," Bicehouse said. "Playing football has just added so much to the college experience and I never in a million years thought it would happen."