Former William and Mary men's basketball standout and 1950 graduate of the College Chet Giermak was honored as the William and Mary Colonial Athletic Association Legend at the 2011 Virginia 529 College Saving Plan CAA Championship over the weekend. The league's legends were recognized at the CAA Awards Banquet on March 3 and during the 2011 CAA Men's Basketball Championship at the Richmond Coliseum, March 4-7. Earlier this season, Giermak was the Tribe legend during the 2010 Legend's Classic.

Giermak ranks among the best to ever don the W&M Green and Gold. He was a two-time All-American, earning the distinction in 1949 (Helms Athletic Foundation) and 1950 (NABC). Along with All-America laurels as a senior in 1950, he was an Academic Azll-America, an NABC All-District honoree and a First-Team All-Southern Conference choice.

Giermak, who spent 14 months serving as a corpsman in the Navy in 1945 before enrolling at W&M, began his career at the College as a 6-6 walk-on from Lindblom Technical High School in Chicago, Ill. It did not take long for Giermak to make his mark in Williamsburg. He would go on to graduate from W&M and remains the program's all-time leading scorer at 2,052 points. His number 32 is one of five men's basketball jerseys retired by the College. A three-time All-South Conference selection, Giermak was named the MVP of the Southern Conference Tournament in 1949. During that season, he averaged 21.8 points per game and set a W&M school record with 740 total points, a record that still stands today. In January of 1949, Giermak set a school record with 45 points in a win over Baltimore. At the time, the point total was the all-time Virginia state collegiate scoring record and finished as the national, conference and state individual single game mark for the 1948-49 season. It still ranks as the third-best total in W&M history. During his senior campaign in 1950, he averaged 20.8 points per game and scored 646 points, which ranks third in Tribe history.

Over his career, the Tribe won 74 games, including back-to-back seasons of 24 wins in 1948-49 and 23 in 1949-50. He holds the W&M school record for field goals made with 847 and his career scoring average of 18.5 points per game ranks third in program annals. Following his graduation from the College, Giermak was selected with the ninth pick of fourth round (45th overall) by the Rochester Royals in the 1950 NBA Draft.

Giermak is a member of the William and Mary Athletics Hall of Fame was an Alumni Medallion Recipient from the W&M Alumni Association. The Alumni Medallion is the highest award the William and Mary Alumni Association can bestow on a graduate and recognizes graduates for their outstanding professional accomplishments, leadership and dedication to his or her community and commitment to their alma mater. 

Giermak served as the President and CEO of Eriez Magnetics until his retirement in 2003. He spent 43 years in the magnetic, vibratory and metal detection solutions industry at Eriez. During his tenure, Giermak led the company from 40 employees and $1.8 million annual sales to 480 employees and $70 million in sales. He currently resides in Erie, Pa.