NEW YORK -- Jamie Dixon, Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin came full circle yesterday. In many ways, this is where it all started.

Four years ago, Ramon and Benjamin, New York City natives, were the first two recruits to give Dixon verbal commitments, weeks before he coached his first game at Pitt.

Dixon has always brought his seniors to Big East media day in New York. But yesterday was the first time he brought a class of players that he recruited, signed and brought to Pitt as the head coach.

They came to Pitt together at an uncertain time. Ben Howland, who had taken the Panthers to consecutive appearances in the Sweet 16, had accepted the head coaching position at UCLA in the spring of 2003. Dixon was hired as his replacement, but Pitt was the first school to offer him a head coaching opportunity.

None of that mattered to Ramon and Benjamin.

"From the conversations we had it just seemed like he was ready to take over," Benjamin said yesterday, hearkening back to his recruitment. "There were great players already there. [Former Pitt assistant coach] Barry Rohrssen played a big part. I really didn't have too many uncertainties."

Rohrssen, now the head coach at Manhattan College, was there Tuesday night with Dixon, Ramon, Benjamin and Mike Cook -- the late addition to this senior class in 2005 -- when they dined at a Brazilian steak house in Manhattan along with other members of Pitt's athletic department.

"It's a reward for the seniors who have been through it," Dixon said of bringing his seniors to this event. "They came to a program that wasn't quite established when they arrived, and they've established it. They're part of a team that's had the best record in the conference by far over the past six years. And they've been a big part of that."

When Ramon and Benjamin came into the program there was plenty of pressure. Howland's final two teams at Pitt won 57 games and Dixon won 31 in his first season as head coach. Each season resulted in an appearance in the Sweet 16.

The good times have continued with Ramon and Benjamin. In their first three seasons, the Panthers have won 20, 25 and 29 games. They made it back to the Sweet 16 last season after a two-year hiatus, with Ramon and Benjamin playing significant roles.

"We feel good now knowing that we've accomplished most of the same feats that everyone else did," Benjamin said.

Much is expected from this Pitt team as well. The Panthers yesterday were picked to finish fourth in the conference by the leagues' coaches behind Georgetown, Louisville and Marquette. Despite losing three seniors, including All-American center Aaron Gray, Pitt is expected to be in the preseason Top 25.

"We want to win a Big East championship, get to the Elite 8 and the Final Four," Benjamin said. "It's always about taking the next step and leaving the program better off than it was when you got there."

With the beginning of his senior season just two weeks away, Ramon said he recently has had the chance to reflect on the past four years. It was four years ago yesterday that he gave Dixon his verbal commitment.

"Me and Keith were talking about that earlier, how quick it went by," Ramon said. "We're just trying to play as hard as we can the final year to help the team accomplish our goals."