They used to practice in the Alfond Arena parking lot near the satellite dish.

But the first-year University of Maine roller hockey club team has ‘moved up’ to practicing on the tennis courts or the field house if the courts aren’t available, and they have qualified for the National Collegiate Roller Hockey League Division II championships in Feasterville, Pa.

They will play Ball State (Ind.) in their opener in the 16-team tourney tonight at 10:45.

“Once we got recognized as an official club sport last February and served a six-month probationary period, we qualified for funding. And the student government has helped us out a lot [financially],” said team captain and defenseman Devon Plourde of Gardiner.

The players have also held fundraisers.

The team went 3-2 and finished third in the Eastern Collegiate Roller Hockey League tournament last month to qualify for the national tournament.

“I love it. It’s pretty fast-paced,” said junior Doug Morrison, a former standout hockey player at Stearns High School in Millinocket. “I like it as much as hockey. I enjoy traveling with the guys and the competition is great.”

Maine doesn’t have a home rink so it plays all its games on the road. They play five per side, including goalies, and there are no offsides or icings.

The goalies are Stearns of Millinocket’s Jayson Morrison and Lewiston’s Justin Doyon; Plourde is joined on defense by Chris Demasi, Matt Karpovich, Chris Whitford, Leavitt High of Turner’s Jake Adams and Bangor’s Scott Wilson and the forwards are Mike Donoghue, Bonny Eagle of Buxton’s Erik Lundgren, Lewiston’s John Boucher and leading scorers Morrison, Eric Gullickson and Lawrence High of Fairfield’s Chris Warren.

Casey Sprogis plays both defense and forward. Wells’ John Finch is an alternate player.