PHOENIX -- Arizona State University is cutting three men's sports programs, including wrestling, swimming and tennis -- a move made to save more than $1 million in expenses.

The decision, which is effective immediately, was made by Vice President Athletics Lisa Love and supported by President Michael Crow.

The move reduces the number of varsity sports sponsored by ASU to 20 from 22 and will not affect men's diving.

ASU will continue to fund football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, women's tennis, women's swimming and diving, men's diving, women's volleyball, women's gymnastics and women's water polo.

"Our primary concern for the immediate future is the student-athletes and coaches that are affected," Love said in a statement.

As many as 70 student athletes will be affected by the elimination of these sports. Six full-time coaching positions will be eliminated. Wrestling coach Thom Ortiz and men's tennis coach Lou Belken will be paid through November.

"These moves are extremely painful," Love said. "We have arrived at the realization that funding a 20-sport program is a better fit for our financial profile and will serve to secure and strengthen our future. It is our responsibility to operate a fiscally prudent varsity athletics program. The costs of doing business are escalating daily and the costs of maintaining excellence even more so."

The student athletes who choose to remain at ASU will receive the full benefits of their scholarship awards through their senior year.

The student athletes in the discontinued sports who decide to transfer to another institution will be provided with full assistance from ASU regarding the transfer process.

ASU, which is eliminating a program for only the second time in the Sun Devils' athletic history, also cut men's gymnastics in 1993.

ASU now matches instate rival Arizona with 20 varsity sports.

"The profile of our operations budget and donation base does not lend itself to the sponsorship of 22 athletic teams," Love said. "While our revenue streams are achieving a positive trajectory they are simply not keeping pace with the current size and scope of the department.

"The decision to discontinue sports has been the most distressing and painful choice this administration has had to make. It is counter-intuitive to our administrative thinking. This decision impacts many people, both on and off our campus. The entire University, the Board of Regents, Sun Devil alumni and other universities will share in the loss of these sports and student-athletes and the contributions they have made to our University and to their sport.

"The action is in no way meant to diminish the dedication, effort or ability of these student-athletes, coaches and alumni. They have contributed greatly to Arizona State University athletics and to the vitality and history of the University," Love said.