Wheaton, Ill. - Wheaton College has announced it will reinstate three out of five varsity sports that had been slated for discontinuation.

The men's golf, women's golf, and men's tennis programs will now be offered through the 2013-2014 school year.

Citing financial challenges for the athletics program over the last 10 years, officials at Wheaton College had announced March 2 that the College would cut five varsity sports at the end of the 2009-2010 school year. The move would have reduced the number of varsity sports offered from 22 to 17.

In response to the March 2 announcement, a group of supporters decided to fund three of the five discontinued programs.

“This support will allow the College a window of opportunity to search out longer-term funding for these programs,” said athletics director Tony Ladd. “It also allows our current athletes to continue playing their sports throughout their Wheaton careers.”

“This extraordinary response affirms the value of these programs in the lives of our student-athletes,” said Dr. Duane Litfin, president of the College. “For this, we are deeply grateful.”

In addition to the reinstated programs, Wheaton College continues to offer baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track, women's indoor track, volleyball and wrestling.