Sports ‘95: A Look Back : Starts, Stops, and People in Motion : Catching up: The five projected newsmakers of 1995 produced a mixed bag of results.

They were our “Five for ‘95”--a short list of local personalities who were expected to leave their mark in sports the past 12 months. We got a split decision. Two flourished, two struggled, and a boxing promoter left town with a draw.

PHILIP MATHEWS

He led Ventura College to the state title and a 37-1 record in 1994-95, so Mathews lived up to the billing. More impressively, Mathews did it with a team that featured 10 freshmen and only two sophomores.

The group wasn’t supposed to flourish as quickly as it did. By the beginning of January, the Pirates were 18-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state. Many considered it Mathews’ best coaching job.

But it’s not exactly like any chances were taken in labeling him an influential force for ’95. Since taking over the Ventura basketball program in 1985, Mathews never had a losing season.

He won his first state title at the school in 1987 and had teams that consistently trampled tough opponents.

Unfortunately for Ventura, Mathews left to become the head coach at the University of San Francisco during the summer.

MEILEN TU

We picked the petite teenager from Northridge because she tore up the junior tennis circuit, winning the national junior championship and two international junior tournaments in 1994.

Her pro career, however, has been another story. She went from junior circuit sensation to struggling rookie on the pro tour.

Tu, who turns 18 on Jan. 17, has been plagued by inconsistency.

Ranked No. 159 in the Women’s Tennis Assn., Tu lost in the second round of the U.S. Open qualifier in August and had a difficult clay court season, in which she was unable to win a first-round match in a main draw.

The positive thing about Tu’s first year as a pro is that her ranking moved up 517 spots in 9 1/2 months.

In that span she went from No. 636 in the world to 119, but she couldn’t hold that position.

PETER BROUDY

The flamboyant boxing promoter left a legacy in the Valley, though he fled its confines in February to take over the Grand Olympic Auditorium’s troubled operation.

But Broudy, who was raised in Sherman Oaks and played baseball and football at Van Nuys High, kept his promise by bringing professional boxing back to the San Fernando Valley.

From his days co-promoting bouts at the Reseda Country Club a decade ago, Broudy knew the Valley was home to legions of boxing fans.

So he struck a deal with the Marriott’s management to promote fight cards in its Grand Ballroom on a monthly basis.

Broudy turned over promotional rights at the Marriott to former world heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee in June.

LIANG KANG LU

After guiding the Cal State Northridge women’s volleyball team to a 23-8 record and the National Invitational Volleyball Championship title in his first season, Lu had a letdown in 1995.

The Matadors had their worst season in school history, not the sign of a program on the rise. Northridge started the year 0-3 and it wasn’t long before the Matadors were 1-24. They finished the season with a 2-29 record that included a 21-match losing streak.

But Lu, a native of China, is still regarded as one of the world’s top technical coaches. He served as an assistant at UC Santa Barbara for 10 years and he is highly regarded in collegiate coaching circles. He should have a positive impact on the Northridge volleyball program in the long run.

MIKE GIORDANO

Thanks to Giordano, the Ventura Stars girls’ youth basketball program remains strong and nearby high schools continue to benefit.

Founder, head coach and financial backbone of the Stars, Giordano has helped prepare players for the rigors of high school basketball for more than a decade.

His proteges competed at Buena, Ventura and Nordhoff highs last season, to name a few.

Buena won the Channel League title and posted a 24-4 record. Ventura placed second in the league. Nordhoff won the Frontier League title and finished at 15-9.