After dominating some less than stellar competition in the first meet of the season, the LSU track and field teams face their first real challenges of the season in Albuquerque, N.M., for the New Mexico Invitational at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Jan. 30. The biggest challenge for LSU coach Dennis Shaver is to prepare his team to run on an unfamiliar surface for the first time this year. The track in Albuquerque is a banked track, which features a raised slope at each turn of the track. ‘It puts us at a huge disadvantage not being able to get on a track like that and practice,’ Shaver said. ‘The real key is the additional experience we are getting on a banked track. When you go to a banked track it’s different and the performances, at least technically, would take a huge dive.’ Shaver specifically arranged travel plans for his team to prepare on a banked track, which is unfamiliar to many of the young runners on the team because LSU practices on a flat track. Both the Southeastern Conference and NCAA championships will take place on a banked track, at the University of Arkansas’ facilities in Fayetteville, Ark. The athletes will also compete on a different surface in New Mexico. The track at the Albuquerque Convention Center boasts a Mondo track surface, which has been the surface used for the last nine Olympic games. ‘I think the track will have an effect,’ said senior All-American Samantha Henry. ‘The track in the [Carl Maddox] Field House is Tartan [surface] and the banked track there is Mondo, which is faster. The banked track is always good to run the 200 [meter dash] on so our times should definitely be faster.’ The Tigers jumped three spots to No. 6 in the USTFCCCA Division I team rankings after claiming two automatic invites to the NCAA championships at the Purple Tiger Invitational last week. The Lady Tigers dropped one spot to No. 4 but maintain a top-five-position in the polls after a strong showing last week. The Tigers and Lady Tigers will face their first ranked opponents of the 2010 season at the event. The No. 20 Arizona men’s team jumped 81 spots in the rankings after their season-opening event. Arizona’s women’s team also vaulted into the top 20, jumping nine spots to No. 17. Junior thrower Walter Henning figures to continue his strong performance dating back to his first event as a Tiger. Last week, Henning earned an automatic slot to perform at the NCAA championships in the weight throw and figures to improve upon his performance. Henning launched the 35-pound weight 71 feet, 4 3/4 inches at the Purple Tiger Invitational. — Contact Luke Johnson at ljohnson@lsureveille,com