IOWA CITY - They've been known as the "Virginia Tech Five."

Now, they all want to be officially known as Iowa Hawkeyes.

It's been a long wait for Brent Metcalf, Jay Borschel, Dan LeClere, Joey Slaton and T.H. Leet, but the talented and embattled fivesome will soon make their debuts in black and gold singlets.

Wednesday, Iowa coach Tom Brands addressed the media to introduce his 2007-08 squad, which also includes defending national champion Mark Perry at 165 and five additional returning national qualifiers, in addition to his group of transfers.

Forced to sit out last season after Virginia Tech officials refused to release them from their scholarships after they followed Brands from Blacksburg, Va., to Iowa City, the group infuses a wealth of talent into the Hawkeyes' wrestling room.

"I'm ready to be a Hawkeye," said Metcalf, probably the most heralded of the group, which includes two four-time Iowa state champions - Borschel and LeClere. "That Virginia Tech thing is old. It is over, so let's move on and get to the real serious and important stuff."

Brands is ready to see them on the mat in a real match.

"Once this press day is over it is over, because now we've talked about it all we can talk about it," said Brands. "It will be a footnote in their careers, but today is really the last day that it is going to be a media blitz. I'm glad for that."

Metcalf is slated to be the Hawkeyes' regular at 149. He was a four-time state champion in Michigan, going 228-0 with 156 pins as a prep. Additionally, Metcalf was a six-time Junior National Champion and three-time Junior National Greco-Roman and Freestyle champ. A year ago, Metcalf went 14-0 wrestling unattached, winning the Kaufman-Brand, Northern Iowa and Glen Brand tournaments.

LeClere and Borschel went a combined 330-3 in high school while wrestling at North Linn of Troy Mills and Linn-Mar of Marion, respectively. Slaton was a two-time state champion and three-time state finalist at Cedar Rapids Kennedy, while Leet was a three-time Georgia state champion.

LeClere is pushing all-American Alex Tsirtsis at 141, Borschel is battling Chad Beatty at 174, Leet is in the mix behind Perry at 165, and Slaton is competing with Montell Marion and Daniel Dennis at 133.

"Talent and intensity," is how Perry described what the group brings to the Hawkeyes. "All of them have great work ethics and talent. They are going to be used and needed."

In addition to Perry, who pulled off a major upset in the 165-pound finals over Johny Hendricks a year ago to win his first national title, Iowa returns national qualifiers in Charlie Falck at 125 (eighth a year ago), Tsirtsis at 141 (all-American two years ago), Ryan Morningstar at 157, Phil Keddy at 184 and Matt Fields at heavyweight.

Luke Lofthouse, a three-time Utah state champion who saw action as a true freshman in 2004 but has been on a Mormon mission to Africa the last two years, is among the frontrunners at 197, along with junior college transfer Derrick Mehmen, a Denver native who was fifth in the NJCAA nationals last year for Ellsworth Community College.

Attitude has been a major focus since Brands replaced Jim Zalesky following the 2005-06 season, and Brands feels everybody is finally starting to completely buy into what he and his staff our selling. He wants everyone in his room to believe they can win a national championship.

"I know last year it was a minority and this year it is starting to be a majority," said Brands of national champion believers.

Perry also chimed in his opinion on that topic.

"This is the first team I've been on at the University of Iowa that has nine-plus … 10, 11, 12 guys who honestly think they're going to win a national championship this year," said Perry. "That has never been done and most likely will never be done, but I think the point being made is Brands has got it in everybody's head that they are going to win a national championship."

Iowa is holding its annual wrestle-offs this week, starting today and running through Saturday.

The Hawkeyes will compete at several open meets over the next three weeks before opening the 2007-08 dual season with a bang on Dec. 9 when they travel to Ames to face Cael Sanderson and the Cyclones.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com

At A Glance

IOWA HAWKEYES

Head coach - Tom Brands (Second season)

2006-07 Dual record: 14-5 overall, 5-3 in Big Ten

2006-07 National finish: 8th

TOP RETURNERS - Charlie Falck, 125; Alex Tsirtsis, 141; Ryan Morningstar, 157; Mark Perry, 165; Phil Keddy, 184; Matt Fields, Hwt.

2007-08 schedule

Nov. 10 - At Harold Nichols Open (Ames)

Nov. 17 - At Kaufman-Brand Open (Omaha, Neb.)

Nov. 24 - At St Edward Duals (Lakewood, Ohio)

Dec. 2 - At Northern Iowa Open

Dec. 9 - At Iowa State, 2 p.m.

Dec. 13 - Northern Iowa, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 28-29 - At Midlands Championships

Jan. 5 - Oklahoma State, 7 p.m.

Jan. 12-13 - At NWCA National Duals (Cedar Falls)

Jan. 18 - At Ohio State, 6 p.m.

Jan. 20 - Penn State, 2 p.m.

Jan. 27 - Northwestern, 7 p.m.

Feb. 1 - At Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Feb. 3 - At Wisconsin, 1 p.m.

Feb. 8 - At Arizona State, 8 p.m.

Feb. 10 - At Boise State, 2 p.m.

Feb. 15 - Indiana, 7 p.m.

Feb. 17 - Michigan, tba

Feb. 24 - At Illinois, 1 p.m.

March 8-9 - At Big Ten Championships (Minneapolis, Minn.)

March 20-22 - At NCAA Championships (St. Louis, Mo.)