Matthew and Holly Wallock and their children, Liam and Aoife, have become favorites of many Badgers thanks to their creative t-shirts.

Like many fashion pieces, they're colorful, always changing and very exclusive. You won't see these styles on a runway in New York or Paris, though. Instead, look along the glass in Section 101 of the Kohl Center each Friday to see Liam and Aoife modeling the latest look from the Wallock family collection — much to the delight of their favorite Badgers like Matt Jurusik and Eddie Wittchow . | From Varsity Magazine

ANDY BAGGOT

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Varsity Magazine

BY ANDY BAGGOT

UWBadgers.com Insider

It all began with two tiny gestures of affection.

On Nov. 28, 2014, the Wisconsin men's hockey team was hosting Ferris State in a non-conference series opener at the Kohl Center when goaltender Joel Rumpel saw something in the audience that made him smile.

There was 5-year-old Liam Wallock, sitting with his family along the glass, with Rumpel's uniform No. 33 painted on his cheeks.

When the game was over, after the Badgers played to 1-1 overtime draw and prevailed in a shootout, Rumpel skated over to where the boy was sitting and gave him a fist bump through the plexiglass.

It was a satisfying memory for Rumpel and his teammates. The decision snapped an eight-game season-opening losing streak and dovetailed into a 5-3 victory the following night.

But it was a life-altering moment for the Wallock family in part because a friend snapped a keepsake photo of the exchange. Liam went home that night and it was all he could talk about, so his father, Matthew, decided to celebrate the occasion with a creative, endearing project.

The results can be seen most every Friday home game. The Wallock kids — Liam and 4-year-old sister Aoife (pronounced Eee-fa) — come wearing T-shirts that reflect their love for the Badgers in general and certain players in particular.

Perhaps you've seen them at games or via social media? They're not sold anywhere because that would violate NCAA rules, but also because it was never the Wallocks' intent to do so.

"It turned into a way to kind of support the team," Matthew said.

"Rumpel Saves" was one of the first to create a stir. It shows Rumpel's face in a famously Biblical backdrop, complete with halo and flowing robe.

"Free Eddie" and "Jurusik Park" are two of the most recent. The former features senior defenseman Eddie Wittchow , who's been known to take a few penalties, while the latter cleverly links freshman goaltender Matt Jurusik to a Hollywood blockbuster movie.

There are others. One shines an election year spotlight on former Wisconsin women's standout Hilary Knight ("Hilary in 2016"). Another commemorates former Badgers standouts Derek Stepan and Joe Pavelski as captains for the annual Blake Geoffrion Charity Classic last summer. Still another gives some love to Trace Browning, the guy who typically mans a video board camera at the Kohl Center.

The design that speaks loudest about the Wallocks is one that reads "4-24-4. Still Here."

The T-shirt project began during the most trying season in program history. Wisconsin finished 4-26-4 overall — including a 3-11-4 mark at home — but instead of being turned off like some fans, the Wallocks became more invested. The "Still Here" shirt was seen at the final home series.

"We felt almost obligated as the season got worse and worse," Matthew said. "We didn't want to be the fans that just stopped and gave up."

Among the examples Matthew, 31, and his wife, 29-year-old Holly, set for their children are to stay until the end of every game regardless of the score and cheer for the players until all had left the ice.

"It was our very, very small way of supporting the team and the players," Matthew said.

The Wallocks are UW grads who live in Madison. Matthew, a lawyer, grew up in Plover and played varsity golf alongside Pavelski at Stevens Point High School. He said Holly's family has long followed Wisconsin hockey, which helps explain why the Wallocks have Friday season tickets along the glass in Section 101.

"The community of Badger hockey fans is really strong," Matthew said. "It's fun to be a part of it."

The T-shirt project drew the Wallocks close to their subjects, but especially Rumpel and Wittchow.

"They're such unbelievably good guys," Matthew said.

A week after having Rumpel's number painted on his face, Liam showed up for a Big Ten Conference series with Penn State with a beaded necklace bearing a picture of Rumpel. That drew a wave from Rumpel, who left after his senior season as one of the most accomplished goaltenders in school history. He finished second on the all-time list in shutouts with 10, third in save percentage at .918, fourth in minutes played and fifth in wins with 53.

When the "Rumpel Saves" T-shirt showed up on social media last season, it triggered all sorts of interest.

"I've had a number of people contact me on Twitter or even by email asking where they could buy them," Matthew said.

Wittchow and Jurusik now get the same question.

"I get texts every time after they tweet one out," Wittchow said of the Wallocks.

"I think my family would like to get a couple," Jurusik said of his parents, Mike and Tracy. "Everyone's asking me where they can pick up one of those shirts."

Wittchow said his parents, Steve and Tina, have gotten so caught up in the project that the background to Tina's cell phone is a picture of Aoife Wallock wearing her "Free Eddie" T-shirt.

Knight, the two-time Olympian and the all-time leading scorer in UW women's history, sent the Wallocks a thank-you note after seeing a picture of Aoife wearing her "Hilary in 2016" shirt.

Matthew Wallock stressed that Holly has veto power over the T-shirt topics and she's not afraid to use it.

The relationship between the Wallocks and Eddie Wittchow predates this season. Matthew once tutored Wittchow, an economics major. When Wittchow returned from an early-season injury in 2014-15, Aoife wore a "Welcome Back Eddie" shirt. The bond became stronger when Liam got an autograph from Wittchow and struck up a conversation.

According to Matthew Wallock, his son's teachers asked who Wittchow was because Liam spoke of him so often.

"It's kind of hysterical," Wittchow said. "I know right where their seats are now, so in warmups I'll give them a little wave. I know they always enjoy that."

What did Wittchow think the first time he saw one of his themed T-shirts?

"I was laughing, but humbled, too, that a family would pick me out of the crowd," he said. "It's not like I'm a high scorer or anything like that. Just a defensive defenseman, so it's not a fan-favorite type of position."

Wittchow, whose gregarious nature belies his menacing, 6-foot-4, 215-pound presence on the ice, made a point of visiting the Wallock children at their preschool and reading books with them and their classmates. He also volunteered to come out with his sticks to show the kids how play the game.

"It's cool and very humbling," said Wittchow, whose 17 penalties are tied for most on the team. "It really shows how big the spotlight can be sometimes on guys like us. We're just college-age guys and sometimes we take our opportunities for granted and don't really think much about it.

"Then something like this comes around and gives us a moment to stop and think about what kind of mentors we are to people and how many people look up to us."

Jurusik had the same thought.

"Going through the day to day, sometimes you lose sight of how much people really look up to us and the stock in what we're doing," he said. "It's awesome to see."