NCAA

Birchard-Kessel attended the University of New Hampshire and played with the New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey program in the Hockey East conference of the NCAA Division I. She tallied her first career point on an assist in her college ice hockey debut on October 5, 2007, against the St. Lawrence Saints. Her first collegiate goal was scored on October 28, 2007 against the Maine Black Bears. On October 17, 2009, she reached her fiftieth career point in a game against the Niagara Purple Eagles.

During her freshman year of 2007–08 with the New Hampshire Wildcats, she accumulated 28 points (13 in Hockey East play). Birchard-Kessel ranked second in Hockey East rookie scoring at 0.85 points per game (ppg). The Wildcats qualified for the NCAA tournament and Birchard-Kessel scored a goal in the NCAA quarterfinal win versus St. Lawrence. On February 16, she established career highs in goals (two) and points (four) versus the Vermont Catamounts.

The 2008–09 season was her sophomore season and Birchard-Kessel skated in all 32 regular-season games, while participating in three postseason games. For the season, she had accumulated 23 points (10 in conference play). She notched a goal in the NCAA quarterfinal game against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Against Niagara (October 12), she matched her personal best of two goals scored in one game. In nineteen games, she registered at least one point.^[2]

In her junior season (2009–10), Birchard-Kessel missed the last six games of the season due to injury. Statistically, Birchard-Kessel ranked fifth in the NCAA in defensemen scoring (0.81 ppg). Birchard-Kessel led the Wildcats in shots (136) and tied for the lead in game-winning goals. She accumulated 13 points in conference play. One of the highlights of the season was notching a career-high three assists in the Sun Life Frozen Fenway game on January 8 vs. the Northeastern Huskies. Game winning goals were scored against Colgate (October 9), Connecticut (October 31 and February 7), and Northeastern (November 29).^[3]

Hockey Canada

Birchard-Kessel was part of the 2007–08 Hockey Canada women's national under-22 team that competed in the MLP Cup. She attended the Canadian Development Camps in numerous years. In 2007, she participated in the U-19 National Development Camp. The following year, she was invited to the U-22 National Development Camp. She was part of the Canadian national under-22 team that competed in the 2011 MLP Cup.^[4] She travelled to Bratislava, Slovakia to participate in the 2011 IIHF High Performance Women's Camp from July 4–12.^[5] On April 17, 2012, Birchard-Kessel along with Meghan Agosta, Gillian Apps, Caroline Ouellette, and head coach Dan Church took part in the opening face off of the playoff game between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers at ScotiaBank Place.^[6]

CWHL

Birchard-Kessel scored a goal for the Brampton Thunder in the championship game of the 2012 Clarkson Cup.

NCAA